Lights,Camera,Physics and Love!
by mystic emeralds
Summary: Particle physicists & movie stars don't even belong to the same dimension, how about leaving me alone?" "Wonder why you hate me?Is it my handsome smile or my rugged looks or my devilish charms.." "Ugh! Since when did movie stars part time as stalkers!"
1. The fission

**Authors note:** Hey everyone! :) *grinning widely* I know I was extinct all this while and have left Finding Love wandering somewhere too. I am sorry. Really am. Grad School applications do take a toll of you. It's really hectic to be multi-tasking things. Anyways, I know, my personal life is of no need for you people. So this a new story although I will be updating Finding love soon enough. Much lighter, more quirkier and more fun(hopefully!) This is the 1st chapter, which was, unfortunately, typed at 2 in the night. So it would sound all garbled probably.

Edited version! Cheers!

The crisp blast of cold wind hit my face as soon as I stepped out of the train. Frowning slightly, I put my head down, dug my hands deeper into the pockets of my coat and walked forward briskly along with the other early morning commuters entering London. It was a pleasant day to my surprise. No infuriating drizzles to soak you. The whole rain and winter combination, doesn't go well according to me. "One torture at a time is what I can bear" I thought wryly as I turned towards the Bond Street.

The early Sunday morning crowd was definitely sparse. Idling through the art galleries, I deliberated over the lecture I was due tomorrow. It was the first in the series of lectures I would be co-presenting with my uncle, Prof. Fujitaka Kinomoto. A slow wide smile spread over my face as I imagined the theory we were going to put forth.

A shocked reaction had crossed my uncle's face too when I had explained him how I had solved the problem of proton disintegrating before we could derive its antimatter. An electron barrier was the key! Separate it and contain it using the barrier till it got under the stable range. A theoretical possibility for now but hey, we were already working on how to realize it. The paper we published was greatly appreciated too. But the scrutiny of the international academia was certainly unnerving. Imagine my relief when the university firmly demanded the symposium to be in London.

Which explains why I am toying with the tassels hanging from the curtains of the painting of- wait, A Renoir? Yeah, it must be the real one too; the brush strokes are indubitably his. Probably also explains the polite yet guarded stare of the owner of the gallery. Girls with wild curls and a Victorian sense of fashion like me are clearly not in his definition of 'sanity', apparently. So I walk out hastily looking back to see if the old goose is still staring. On seeing his droopy eyes following me intently, I resist the urge to stick my tongue out at him. Instead I smile wryly and proceed into the sunlight. People were swarming slowly now, which rings alarm bells in my head. I bend my head down and try to walk through the crowd faster.

So, did I tell you about myself yet? From what you must have wondered already of the illegible ramblings above, I am a grad student majoring in particle physics. Yes, I am a geek. And yes, I love books more than real people. So you can stop those snickers behind my back, I can hear them. I am also a situationally shy girl who gets bouts of suffocation in crowded places. (What is it called, agoraphobia? yeah, something like that!) So what was I doing in an seemingly inconspicuous art gallery in the wee hours of a lovely day in London? I happen to have a passion for Renaissance paintings, which is what you get if your mother was a museum curator and you grow up talking to Monets and Picassos.

But hey, did I tell you I am a born klutz? Yeah, guess not. Like this poor guy below me. I try to get up only to slip and fall again. My embarrassment reaches its peek as I desperately try to push myself off him. The second fall opened up my messy bun too, framing my face from him. Hoping he won't book me under physical abuse, I struggle to my feet finally.

Standing on the stable ground after the ordeal and reconfirming the coordinates of my feet, I cautiously pull my hair back to have a clear look at him and wondering where I had seen him before. He does seem familiar. He gets up immediately after me, brushing his coat in a brusque way. Preparing for apologies, I open my mouth to start with a sorry when the goof cuts me off!

"You needn't have barreled into me for an autograph, woman. I could have given it without being knocked out!" he said with an air of hostility, glaring at me all the way. Definitely wrong about the 'poor' guy part. And oblivious that I was, there does seem to be a fan girl population around him. One of the girls brushed me off to lunge at him and I nearly lost my balance, yet again!

That did it. Something snapped inside me and I pushed- hey, did I tell you the best thing about me? My temper. Yep. I wasn't nicknamed the Lochness monster of the library for no reason. The people, who know about it, stay away from it. Very wise indeed. But for morons like this guy-that girl aside to give him a piece of my mind.

"You listen to me mister." I said loudly, drawing myself to my full height, which was clearly an inch or two shorter than him.

"I have no bloody idea who you are, let alone beg your pompous arse for an autograph. I bumped into you accidentally and was about to apologize but your manners doesn't seem to make it necessary anymore. Go find some paparazzi and a fan club badge to wear if you should bloat your ego." I said scathingly and walked away, rejoicing inwardly for his bewildered expression.

Oh and just so you know I am Sakura Kinomoto. I live in Oxfordshire with my only family, my uncle and his son. The guy I bumped into? Apparently the teenage heartthrob, Syaoran Li. Like it matters anyways what that brat is. As far as I know, He is a pompous arse, right? Yeah. I so wish I don't see his obnoxious face again.


	2. Get out of my bubble chamber!

**Authors note:** There. I updated. And pretty soon too! I like the response I am getting for this crazy story. Do let me know what you think of it, ne? I love you all. Arigatou

I was in space. Floating among tiny balls of light which were-wait, smiling? I stopped err, gliding across and held one such ball in my hand. It was Elm, the neutrino. She was bobbing up and down in glee. And before I could ask why, she swooned giddily and said something about having a new visitor in the bubble chamber. I followed her curiously as she zoomed through the slush liquid Hydrogen. All the protons were converging around someone and the quarks were just swishing past eccentrically. What on earth was this pandemonium for, I wondered as I pushed myself forward towards Elm.

And it was then I saw him. Standing with a smug expression and 12 hands, each of the hands were holding a bright pink fountain pen. I watched horrified as he autographed 'Li' onto each electron. The protons and neutrinos were eagerly pushing forward in the queue. And from afar, I could see a host of other sub-atomic particles surging towards us. That explained why those idiot quarks were hysterical. They had got the first autographs, apparently.

Ugh! I curbed my gagging reflex and tried to swim away but one of his slimy hands had me already in his grasp. I screamed but only a bubble escaped out. He was growing bigger now, almost twice my size. And he was saying the same thing, over and over again. That he wants to autograph me on my forehead. I pushed myself away but he caught me anyways, opening that horrid pink pen and-

"Sakura!" I woke up startled and looked around frantically, mentally making a note of were the fire exits were located. The lonely laboratory walls seemed to look back at me puzzled. I unglued the paper sticking to my forehead and put it back to its bundle on my desk. Touya was waiting patiently for me to recover. I think he had grown immune to weirdness after being a constant subject to mine and my uncle's eccentricities.

Touya. My harebrained cousin who is "3 hits old" (That was a direct quote). He started of a guitarist in his sophomore year of college but ended up dropping out to pursue his so called acting career. He is doing quite well too. As for my uncle, I have long been his apparent heir to the world of academics and particularly physics. So Touya could be a gigolo if he wants, my uncle couldn't care less.

I look at him, eyes less dilated and wait for him to continue.

"So, I was going to err, meet this girl tonight. Do you think-"I nod my head sleepily, cutting him off. Dating is what Touya does in sync with breathing and what my uncle started detesting after he started changing his girlfriends like twice a day. I am generally thrown, unceremoniously between the father-son arguments and end up as an unwilling shield for my cousin. Like today. Touya would, as usual slip out after dinner and I would have to engage my uncle in another round of discussion.

I sighed, holding my head in my hands. The solution to the problem I was working on was being really elusive. I really need to get the parameters from uncle before proceeding further. The dead end I was encountering since two days wouldn't go. What else could make sleep on my own desk and drool over all the fresh analysis printouts? And that nightmarish dream! Eww. That fool must have taken it as his personal mission to kill me in my dreams. I shuddered at the thought of an inerasable pink letters, glittering and shining as 'LI'. Gross. Multi-gross.

Waving him a good bye I turned to my papers again, trying to make sense of my scribbling. Finally, I decided I need to go down to the library to refresh myself. My brain seemed to have gone into a frozen state and in a very timely manner. I gathered my long hair full of curls into a messy bun again and secured it with a tight clip. Pulling my folder along with me, I stalked out of the Bubble Chamber lab.

The library was in the west wing of the Trinity block. I crossed the registrar's office to walk by the pebbled courtyard of the Trinity block. The red sandstone building contained most of the administrative offices on the east wing and the library to the west. I walked to the left side of the corridor cautiously, making sure not to trip down. It was wide enough to pull a procession of elephants through anyways.

As I walked, I heard the slow hum of the Dean's voice approaching me from the opposite side. It must be some person who donated to the college and was privileged with a mini-pilgrimage across the halls of the main block. I walked ahead, looking down as I would when I heard the visitor stifling a yawn and failing. I suppressed the urge to laugh at his pitiable condition, the Dean could bore any living being to death by just talking and here the visitor was getting a full-on blast. Chuckling silently, I lifted my head only to freeze in my tracks.

And then I ran.

"Oi, girl! I know you. You-"

Like a gazelle.

To the safe confines of the library.

Why the hell was Syaoran Li here? Damn him!

**Terminology: **

_**1. Antimatter:**_ The supposed counterpart of matter. It is believed to exist but very hard to isolate or contain. Sort of like the reverse of matter, in all properties. So basically, bring a proton and the anti-proton together, they would go boom, giving out only pure energy and leaving behind no mass at all. cool eh?

_**2. Neutrinos:**_ Emitted by the sun. Has really less, close to a weight of zero and no charge too. Yeah, they are sort of hollow with nothing to boast about.

_**3. bubble chamber:**_ A big tube filled with liquid hydrogen that can be used to detect the elementary particles moving through it.

**Author says: **Thank you for reading this story, adding it to story alerts or reviewing it. It means a lot to me!

_**Cielito lindo:**_You love the physics terminology? Then you are in for a treat I suppose. I will be dealing with a whole lot of physics for this story!

_**Puasluoma: **_aww, I am sorry I didn't explain those blasted terminologies I used! Like I already said, It was mostly a frantic typing in the middle of the night so didn't realize how clueless it would sound to my readers. Rest assured all the terms will be properly explained at the end of each chapter. Cheers!

_**dbzgtfan2004:**_ Thank you! Please keep reading!


	3. I don't kiss and tell

**Authors note:** ladies and the remaining other speices of living beings, I present the 3rd chapter. ta-da! Well, this might be a better read as we have almost zero physics terminology here. (_**Puasluoma**_ , rejoice!). And as always, thank you for reading my story. Arigatou : )

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She was some girl all right. I am not talking of those insanely wild curls framing her face. Nor those really flaky long skirts of hers which sweep the ground. For starters, that woman swears and hell! She does it superbly. She doesn't fawn over me either, at least as long as 'pompous arse' is some form of endearment. That's an aberration. Any female likes me. Period. Finally, she sees me and runs away?! What am I? A serial rapist?

(For people actually wondering about it, No, I am NOT!)

This means none of you guys know me. Jesus, you sure are ancient. I am Syaoran Li, The movie star. 7-straight-box-office-grossing-movies old.

Do I look familiar now? No, not the vampire, I am the high school guy!

What was I doing here before chasing that firefly? I was convincing the dean to let me take up graduation classes in this college part time. I never got to complete my degree, what with me being getting a break in the movies when I was 20. Studies were never cut for me. It's been the lure of the arc lights all the time. But apparently my dearest mom feels that she can't bear to have her only son a dropout so I gave in for this arrangement.

And hell, I am glad I did. Just when I was wondering how to escape from his drugged up monologue, I saw this girl who had knocked me down on the Bond Street a week ago. Oh did I tell you instead of apologies, I got a full on blast of her fiery temper. The paparazzi went berserk with the incessant flow of insults she managed to spurt out, making me a joke for almost a week. I still cringe inwardly when I recall that day. Ugh. So much for my self-esteem being battered to pulp.

I could go on talking about me but I need to find this elusive female and wash her mouth with soap, thoroughly. She swears more than any stevedore or longshoremen. So I go behind her fleeing form and finally stop at the end of the long corridor. In front of me stands an ominous library, huge and voluminous. Wow. I could easily get lost in there. It feels hostile. Alien almost. They sure are the scariest places in the world.

I take a deep breath and step inside the threshold and wait for second, almost expecting some natural repel mechanism to kick in and throw me out instantly. After a minute I look foolish and the librarian toys hesitantly with the intercom, itching to throw me out. So I walk forward towards him and give him my best smile. He narrows down his eyes even more and stares at me. Sigh. If only it was a woman. She would be swooning over me now. I clear my throat and ask casually if he saw a girl enter a few minutes ago. He denies categorically. I look at him with a bewildered expression. There is no other place where she could have escaped to unless she can walk through solid brick walls.

I look around and turn to the sad platypus face again. I try to describe her appearance to him without sounding insane. I mean, how many girls throng to step into this mausoleum on a daily basis? Millions, by the air he's giving me. So I decide to tell him the truth. I look straight into his eyes, pause for a nano-second and proceed to tell my story after an exaggerated dramatic pause.

"She's my girlfriend and we had a fight. I have to get to her before she starts crying sitting in some corner of this enormous library all right?" I finish rapidly. The reaction is as predicted. His eyes widen in shock and the demeanor softens considerably. He looks at me hesitantly, fingering the leaves of the entry register. I smile inwardly and decide to add another final stroke of my theatrics. Dropping down my shoulders noticeably, I look at him sadly.

"So do you happen to know if any girl with a long skirt and really flowing sort of hair passed by? She will be really upset and I can't stand tears in the eyes of my girlfriend-"

"Your girlfriend?" A shrill screech sounded from behind me. Right. I forgot about the stacks lined up against me. It could only be her. That insane girl, probably here by the anachronisms of fate. Yeah, I am messed up too. Remind me why I was chasing her.

* * * * * * *

I glare at him viciously as I slam the books on the counter. Albert the librarian sees the nerve in my forehead twitch and proceeds to stamp the books at a breakneck speed, eager to lead the way for my tantrum out of the library. I am not sure I can wait that long. Did the clown just refer to me as his girlfriend? Now he's not only a pompous arse but also an arrogant bastard. Doesn't he know that Dr. Sakura Kinomoto has a reputation to maintain here? And since when did movie stars par time as stalkers! The nerve of the bastard to refer to me as his-ugh! That is worse than my nightmare. I would get body art done with his fluorescent pink markers if he left me alone now. But luck is an utterly sadistic guy who loves to make me his muse every now and then. I can't fight him, so I ignore him. But that just won't do as I see the slightly disoriented dean approaching us. See what I meant by luck being a sadistic bastard. Dean sees me and smiles warily.

"Mr. Li, You sure left me on a rather a hurried note."

Li? I look to my side in horror to notice that creep standing a step away, smiling. Looks like he followed me out of the library when I was so busy having a discussion with, who else, me. Sigh. I reign in my temper and give a quick smile to the old fellow making my way out of the block. Li however blocks my exit smoothly, still smiling like a Cheshire cat. He goes on to explain smoothly how he recognized an old friend of his (Me!? oh, someone kill me!) And if the dean doesn't mind, He would like to explore the rest of the block along with me. The dean thinks it is a fabulous idea.

"Of course, Mr. Li"

"Miss Kinomoto, thank you for being kind enough to offer to finish the tour for this fine young man here." As I contemplate murdering the old man in his sleep for trapping me with the clown, he turns to Li and says something that sends chills through my spine.

I look forward to seeing you in the classes from next week then, dear man. Good Night.

He is attending classes, here? Here, of all the 822 colleges in England! This is something more sinisterly than fate. It's divine conspiracy. I don't believe it. Letting out an audible groan, I stomp out of the entrance arch grumbling to myself about the number of gods I must have angered to have him here.

"So you study here too?" He asks, walking beside me leisurely while I am practically jogging. Damn my frail metabolism! I can ignore him or answer him. If I ignore him, he'll bug me till I won't. If I answer him, he'll bug with more questions zooming in that stupid brain of his. I give up after a while and stop walking. He stops beside me, puzzled.

"I don't study here. I teach here. Occasionally to a moron like you too. So if you want to graduate, you don't want to fail in physics."

"I don't fail-"

"Don't interrupt me. You won't fail in physics only if you stop pestering me with questions or stalking me around everywhere. I told you already, I don't want your autograph! And stop referring to me as your girlfriend. Nothing insults me more than-mmphf!"

I couldn't help it. She looked totally irresistible. Her cheeks get these tiny blotches in the loveliest shade of pink when she goes of in an angry rant like that. Those curls framing her faces go totally wild when she tosses her head back after she makes a point. And smack me if I didn't notice before but this Einsteinette is amazingly beautiful. I did only the first thing that came to my mind in the light of the new revelations. I kissed her. And when she is still looking at me half confused and with a small pout on her lips, I decide I have to make my escape before she regains all of her senses and tries to castrate me on the spot. I am almost near my Porsche parked outside the huge wrought iron gates when I hear her scream my name. Panting slightly from the Olympic run I just ran, I clutch the roof of the car while I fumble in my pocket for the keys.

"You are a dead man, Syaoran Li. D-E-A-D" she shouts murderously, now coming into my view. It's pretty dark and I can only see her slender silhouette against the moonlight. I chuckle and wonder if I could dare to rile her more. Safely seated in my car, it definitely sounds very feasible.

"I love you too" I shout as I press the accelerator, from my rear view mirror I see her pick up a stone and hurl at my car, stomping her foot in the most adorable fashion.

Like I said, she is definitely some girl. And I think I like this quirky physics teacher of mine.

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**Author says: **A big hug and complimentary basket of chocolate-mint cookies for all those wonderful people who have put this story on story alerts, who have added me as their favorite author or put me on author alerts, for those who review (_**Cielito lindo **__, _thank you for your kick ass review :D , you made my day !) .

Oh, and more reviews please. Mathematically, No of reviews is directly proportional to the speed at which the story is updated. ;) love you all!


	4. Cheesecakes,Ice Creams and Complications

**Author's note:** I have been busy lately tackling essays and other mundane stuff for graduate applications. This chapter was lucky to be completed because I had the plot figured out already. However, for the next chapter to come out, it will take quite a while. I decided that I won't touch it till I finish the application process for once and all which will take a week or two. I request patience from all my readers till then. Arigatou.

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**Disclaimer:** All the characters in this story belong to CLAMP. Also, this story is purely a work of fiction and bears no resemblance to any characters living or dead. Amen.

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Agbekor. Before you start questioning my sanity, it is neither a swear word nor a vague physics terminology. No, not the translation of 'I love you' in Mongolian either. It is a warrior dance form of the West African people. The so very wild dance in which you can pucker up your face, stick ostrich and emu feathers in your hair, smear blood (Use tar or soot in case of shortage of blood.) in long stripes across the forehead and dress down in the finest quality animal skin as well as green leaves to jump up and down around the ceremonial fire where your human victim is being boiled in vegetable stock. You also enjoy the privilege to poke your victim with your spear occasionally, shouting Afrikaans profanities like "Gaan vlieg in jou moer!", "Skop, skiet en boom klim!" or "Jou ou naai!"

Which is what I am doing right now, around my desk in the staff quarters. Well, it is minus the blood, gore and shaggy feathers naturally, unless the two pens stuck in my knotted and tied up hair serve as a substitute for feathers. The animal skin or the leaves are missing too. What with me being a PETA as well as Greenpeace activist, the possibility of hopping around in my office half naked isn't happening anytime. (Also, I don't happen to be a fan of nudity of any degree either.) But I so wish my imagination transcended into reality, partially atleast to provide me with a spear and a human victim to enjoy the primal sadistic urges of mine. Who the hapless victim would be, you may ask. For that, I would cackle gleefully, rub my hands in the most sinisterly way possible and declare ominously as 'Syaoran Li'.

Why?

Because. 'nuff said.

Also because that effing moron kissed me.

One minute I was telling him off and the other minute his lips are on mine. Gross. It was wet and soft, like a slimy snake slithering up and down. Oh, maybe it wasn't so bad. Maybe he kissed good. He would too, with all the practice he must have had. But when you realize the person whose mouth descended on yours was the obnoxious Li, you would prefer to puke and throw up till all the saliva is out of your system. Exactly what I did, outside the west gates of the university after trying and failing miserably to dent his ostentatious Porsche with a stone.

Failing because I happen to have a very unnatural sense of direction. Miserable because I managed to knock of the rear window of the Dean's car parked nearby. Hoping he wouldn't notice, I hurried back to the faculty block of the campus. My uncle would be home and I had to hurry before Touya was delayed for his date. The boy can get really whiny when he is held up, I tell you. He has, by his own admission, a reputation to protect. Yeah, being a womanizer is such a demanding and a noble avocation. Bless Touya, for making every dumb blond in England feel wanted, even if it is only for a day or two. One of the reasons why I never bother to censure his pointless dates is that obviously, no sane woman would fall for his charms. The other being he wouldn't listen to me anyways.

So when I reached the Kinomoto's residence, I heard the usual grumble of my good natured uncle while preparing dinner. They usually revolve around Touya. Sometimes Touya and finally, Touya. He looked at me and gave a brief smile before he continued doling out the chicken casserole into the serving dish. I took an apron hanging to the closet and hurried into the kitchen to make the salad. Also to be ready to hold them apart in case they decided to go for each other's throats. Not that it would happen. My uncle, regardless of all his complaints is quite fond of his son. And for all the departments Touya lacks, he's got me. The grumbling is merely a fad he's picked up after coming to London. We, i.e. me and Touya, call it the "Dean Effect" Grumbling old fool must have passed some of his grumpy genes to my dearest uncle too.

Fujitaka Kinomoto, My uncle. A genius when it comes to the world of particle physics. He has numerous publications and research papers to his credit. He belongs to the crème de la crème of the physicists in the world who are working toward the conclusive evidence for the *Supersymmetry of elementary particles. He is one of the revered and idolized professors in the academia, known for his famed lectures which are always packed with students. Also, he is my only family ever since mine were killed in an accident when I was 9 years old.

The uncle, who decided through dinner that we needed to change the track in our research. This meant we had to simply toss out the mountains of statistics and findings accumulated over a month. This also meant his assistant (me) had to start afresh and begin exploring the densities of the *heavy particles.

This also meant that I would have a reorganized schedule where in all my teaching hours would be allocated to research alone.

Implies I wouldn't have to teach the undergraduate physics jocks and their king, Syaoran Li.

And so the warrior dance.

I was thumping my way across the gap between the chair and desk when there was a knock on the door. I slipped into my geek-don't-disturb expression before opening the door. It was my uncle who was back from his afternoon session with a really goofy grin on his face. Now, we Kinomotos are sure eccentric but I failed to understand what could have triggered my uncle's funny bone when all he did was to teach a boring group of seniors. I mean, he usually complained how it seemed that their nerve cells have been traumatized to death, explaining their technically unseen brain activity and abysmal grades as a side-effect.

I stared at him quizzically and shrugged. He must given a particularly complex query for them to think about and reveled in the misery of those chunks. That must be it. Although it was very unlike him to be masochistic, I could attribute no other reason to his uncanny grin, stretching from ear to ear. Old age must be getting to him.

I reached out for the handle with the intention to close the door. Instead I felt something hard, covered with fabric. What on earth-Holy cow! The Satan was standing in front of me grinning as smugly as ever. Li, who happened to be my personal and fully customized devil, has only one purpose in his life: To stalk and torture me. And wow, He takes his job quite seriously.

I glare at him as viciously I could and attempt to bang the door on his face. Why did I not have that swine flu mask on? I glanced around the office apprehensively to see it dangling from the lamp stand. I must have flung it away in a frenzied fit of the warrior dance earlier. If only it were in my hand now, It could probably save me from getting a forceful CPR or prevent the gooey bimbo saliva from getting transferred to my lips again and also have saved me from going to the prison eventually, for murdering him on the grounds sexual assault.

So without my defense I realize offense is the only way now. I aim a calculated kick directed at the said man's weakest area. Almost. Because, before I could swing my leg my uncle interrupts the staring contest and leads him in for a cup of tea. And it is then I comprehend that he has sold his soul to the devil. Li accepts the offer graciously (bet he learnt it only after dozens of rehearsals in the acting class.) and they sit down for an afternoon tea with cheesecakes. Oh, don't mind me. I am invisible. Go on with the praising of the so-called genius you find in this fool of a- Wait. My uncle is praising my nemesis? Betrayal of the worst kind. The guy is supposed to be brilliant in- ah, He's praising Li's role as the mentally challenged teen in a movie. And for a moment, my heart skipped a beat wondering if it was his talent in physics that gave my uncle his indulging grin. Cheh. For a fact, there happens to be nothing remotely brilliant to his acting prowess. He is mentally redundant. All he did in that movie was to be himself and presto, we have suckers who declare it was very moving performance. Manipulative freak, that's what he is.

1,2,3,4,…… 33 minutes later, I get tired of leaning across the door, waiting for the idiot to go. I also get tired of my uncle's boyish face light up like a bulb whenever he is dished out praises by the same idiot. Hell, they have been at it since half an hour, acting like a bunch of dunderheads. I stalk out of the office angrily; muttering that how the devil seems to be intent in taking over my family, one by one. Walking across the cubicles and the patio, I cross the rose garden to reach home. A large sinful cup of black currant ice cream should help me to reign in my volatile temper.

I jerk the door open and bang it shut to stomp towards the kitchen. Scooping a dollop of ice cream from the tub into a cup, I walk into the living room only to freeze and quickly turn away. An embarrassing blush creeps up to my cheeks as I try to muster some dignity and walk away.

Apparently I seem to have interrupted one of the heavy make-out sessions of Touya and some nameless woman. Believe me when I say the couch is a forbidden place when you see your own cousin brother half naked with some girl on it. I am about to leave when he interrupts hesitantly. While I debate to risk watching an almost frontal nudity scene again, he declares that it is safe for me to turn. I gulp and turn towards them.

The girl is standing beside him, holding his hand lightly. She gives me a shy smile and I acknowledge it tentatively. She looks sensible to me unlike the other dates of my cousin. Wondering what she is doing with a guy like him, I look at Touya questioningly. The ice cream in my cup is melting and I don't like it at all when it gets gooey and sticky. Also I would have to get on with study I was supposed to do today in the library. I also curse Li, which is becoming a habitual occurrence since two weeks. If not for him, I would not have been scarred lifelong with the image of Touya's hands roaming over the girl's- Stop! I scream to myself inwardly.

On seeing the tortured expression I put up, Touya mistakes it as something else and proceeds hastily to explain that it is not what I think. Hah, As if. What else were they supposedly doing on the couch? Touch-me-if-you-can dare?

He looks at me urgently and goes on to say that it's not just another fling of his and that they are quite serious about each other. He goes on to tell how they have been seeing each other since a month and how, he stammers, they are in love with each other, looking at the girl cautiously. The said girl nods shyly and looks at me smilingly again. Considering the sickly sweet glances they have been giving each other all this while, I deduce as much and ease up a bit. The library seems to be thrown out of my schedule today as we sit down to talk, the love birds on their EMO (Extreme-action Make-Out) couch and me cross-legged on the coffee table in front of it. Touya introduces me to the girl. Her name is Shiefa. She is an artist and jewelry designer. They first met when she was working on one of his movies. We chat about things in general for a while when I realize that this woman with a shy and gentle disposition is also unusually intelligent. A perfect choice for my neuron-less cousin. She also seems to have familiar brown eyes. Warm and chocolate-y. Very familiar indeed. Now where did I see-The door slammed shut again. Why was uncle home when he was supposed to be video conferencing with his colleagues in America?

"Kinomoto, there you are. I was hoping your uncle was right when he said I would find you in-"

Not the uncle. It was the devil who walked in with a grin. The grin however vanished in a split second and turned into a scowl when it saw-

"What are you doing here, Shiefa?! And why the hell are you in Touya's arms!?"

That's right. Li, of course. He had the same familiar brown eyes. And also quite a degree of possessiveness when it came to his sister sitting in someone's lap.

Shiefa Li, My cousin's girlfriend is Syaoran Li's sister who is my stalker since the last three weeks. With today, there is no place I can hide from him, not even my own home.

Oh, did I mention that Touya and Li are serious rivals when it comes to movies? That's right. It is this whole rising phenomenon (Touya) vs. the established star (Li) issue. So yeah, they pretty much hate each other.

And people say physics is complicated.

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**Terminology: **

**Supersymmetry:** A theory in the world of particle physics which says that an elementary particle is supposed to have another particle which is its supplementary pair. (An extremely simplified definition, which is all I can give)

**Heavy particles:** Particles formed by coalescing sub atomic particles together.

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**Author says:** I love you all. And your reviews too (grins). Review anything, what you liked, what you are looking for, what you want to clarify, just anything! So after you have finished reading the chapter, please don't forget to click the review button you see below?

_**Cielito lindo: **_Syaoran will definitely be a dead man walking, but not yet. I'll play with him for a while before that. (Grins evilly) Thank you for your reviews. They mean a lot to me

_**Paladin3056: **_Aah, The Last will of Syaoran Li. I think I will make it into a chapter title for this story at a later stage. I have got some funny ideas to go with it. Thank you for your reviews and please keep reading.

_**AngelEmCuti: **_Thank you dear. Please keep reading and reviewing!

_**Puasluoma: **_And I am glad you liked it. Could it be because we had lesser physics and more of chemistry in it? … (**Winks**) .Thank you for reviewing.

_**Mrs. Radcliffe 13: **_The dream scene is my favorite too, you know. And rationality is really a moot point when it comes to my characters, usually. Lol. Oh no, I don't happen to study in UK, yet. In fact if everything goes as planned, I will be going to a university there next year.

The descriptions are mostly because I was there on a vacation the last Christmas and fell in love with it. Thank you for reviewing.


	5. Lady in red

**Authors note:** I am overworking myself to death and come back to finish a chapter only to see that the last chapter got hardly any reviews. It kills your mood you know, is leaving a review such a tedious thing to do? Or am I going overboard in saying this story deserves reviews at all? Anyways, don't mind the depressed author. There you go, a new chapter. Cheers!

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**Disclaimer:** All the characters in this story belong to clamp. The story however is exclusively mine.

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I was sitting in the lowermost shelf, inside the serving counter of the 'Tarts and Treats' cookie store, alternating between sips of tea and the oven fresh croissants baked by the ever charming Tomoyo. She ran one of the refreshment centers for the graduate block. An undergraduate who came to buy a simple loaf of bread shuffled his feet nervously almost kicking me in the process as she coaxed him to try the jam tart. The madly infatuated teen finally went to his dorm with cream bagels, cinnamon rolls, jam tarts, raisin-apricot cookies in his hand and a permanently plastered goofy grin on his face. I rolled my eyes when I heard him go. Mouthing 'flirt' to her I continued to munch on the Swiss rolls.

Tomoyo, with her sinfully delicious cooking and tantalizing French accented English was the dream of every freshman. They hung to her every word desperately and usually ended up buying half of her goodies before they could snap out of her trance. Not that she did anything to ease up the hormone overflow. Rather, she should be awarded a degree in audacious flirting, with honors of course.

She and Touya have this rare skill of hitting on anyone and everyone. Why, the dean still gets flustered up on mentioning her name!

Last I checked she was on a mission to make Sir Jack Huntington fall for her flirtatious charms. What's the deal with him? Well, he was a young and dashing military man whose bravado was well known in Oxfordshire, so much that the people erected a statue in his honor in the university premises when he died in 1906.

He sat gallantly on the horse, brandishing his sword in air and trying (in vain) to avoid a certain fair lady's provocative sashaying across the main courtyard.

The same fair lady who poked me with her pointed heel, whispering 'coward'. I glared at her and rubbed the crumbs of my mouth hastily. Hiding from your mortal enemy qualifies as tact, not cowardice. And when the enemy was as ruthless and lethal as Syaoran Li it's best to follow the age old advice:

if you can't defeat the enemy, avoid them like plague.

I sighed and wondered when Tomoyo will master the art of warfare which did not involve coquettish glances or deliberate sensuality. The afternoon was winding down and the crowd was almost gone. I peeked through the crack in the bottom shelf before I stood up and dusted my dress.

The red skirt of mine seemed to have taken quite a beating these days, with half of them spent in ducking behind stairs or crouching in the broom closets. I gently eased the folds, looking at it sadly. My favorite skirt was close to tatters because of a certain person called-

"Li!"

I crashed my head to the counter top as I slid into my hiding place again, muttering silent profanities for my secret hideout being discovered. When there was no sign of the slobbery fool showing up after 5 minutes, I looked up confused only to see Tomoyo laughing silently, tears flowing all the way. She wiped her tears under my blistering stare and went on to say in midst of her occasional bursts of laughter which I am sure she wasn't making any effort to contain.

"Would you believe if I said that was the most priceless face ever?" she asked, biting her lip from breaking out into a spurt of giggles again.

I rolled my eyes. She had to do it. So much for being my best friend. I stood up, feeling the back of my head gingerly. The bump was quite smarting. I rubbed it slowly while I pulled myself to seat over the counter while Tomoyo sanitized the place for the 5th time in an hour. Her OCD complex was really irritating for a thoroughly chaotic individual like me. I flinched when I touched the throbbing bump again.

Lately, bad luck had become synonymous with Syaoran Li who must have sold his soul to the devil to haunt me like he did. I was flustered with his odious presence in my beloved lab thrice a week on the pretext of researching with my uncle when all they did was to become giddy like school boys and have hour long chats on how the world ending in 2012 was plausible. Hallelujah.

I had to control my reflex motion to gag when he joined us for dinners occasionally, courtesy: my daft cousin Touya who had to just go and fall for the Satan's sister. How the poor girl's fate was cursed to have both the morons all her life (unless she killed herself) was the most depressing thing next to Kurt Cobain's suicide. And she loved them, which made it even more crippling.

Oh, I was cursed too.

But unlike Shiefa, I spent most of my days in the lab scribbling various ideas of tortures that ever crossed my mind at the bottom of the velocity scan reports. The remaining time was judiciously spent sitting in the bottom shelf of the counter in Tomoyo's cookie store among orange marmalade jars and fresh bottles of cream.

And the fool was supposedly smitten by me. Another mystery I failed to comprehend. What did he see in me? I looked like a tramp with messy hair and permanent dark circles, I was socially incompetent, I was having an affair with physics and Monet ever since I was 15 and I hated him for Pete's sake!

Which man in the right mind would even want to do anything even vaguely romantic with me?

"Syaoran Li, by what you have described. He seems to love you."

Tomoyo observed gravely, as she bit into a cookie, the napkin placed carefully to catch a stray crumb.

This meant I was muttering aloud the whole time. Great, I was bordering insanity now.

"Hiding here won't make him go away, you know."

"So what will?" I asked, all too eagerly. She frowned at me in the most disapproving fashion, as if she had spotted a traitorous speck of dust in her spotless kitchens. I knew what would follow that stare of hers. Another lecture on how I never-

"Give the guy a chance Sakura. He's handsome and tall and cute and-"

"Brainless."

"Physics doesn't consummate brains, honey. Maybe you should-"I glared at her fiercely for the implication which would follow. Tomoyo being Tomoyo would probably ignore it and proceed with her discourse on my non existent love life.

However when she failed to deliver her speech and stopped mid sentence, I stopped glaring and looked at her quizzically. Since when did she give a damn to my feeble looks of admonitions? I must be getting good at it. But when she continued to stare with a growing blush nearing her cheeks I realized it wasn't me who had made her speechless. She was staring over my shoulder rather. On following her gaze you could see a bespectacled man, standing near the entrance hesitating to come inside.

"Hello, I am Eriol, Syaoran Li's manager. Is that Miss Kinomoto?" He said in a rich voice which made Tomoyo gasp softly and almost crush my left arm in a death grip.

Amazing, Love was definitely in the air. And I have been sitting in an air tight vacuum chamber all along. Gaah, Kill me!

* * *

I was staring at her intensely which was making her more flustered every minute. She got up finally and strode towards me with an unsure gait.

"You are staring at me."

"And?" I said, not breaking my gaze from her lovely face.

"You are staring at me ever since that assignment we did together. What is wrong with you?" she asked, biting her lip uncertainly. I languidly stretched my arms behind my head and smiled softly at her unwavering gaze.

"Do you really expect me to answer that? I told you already, I-"

"Love me. I know. I also know that it doesn't make any sense. So please, stop-" I got up suddenly, the scraping of the wooden chair echoing in the empty classroom.

"And why doesn't it make any sense?" I said looking down at her while I closed the distance between us. She stared into my eyes, too shocked to react. But almost immediately looked away and tried to push me aside to reach the door.

"Oh no, you don't." I closed in between her and the door, holding her in my arms. Her frail struggles couldn't loosen my grip on her. I waited patiently as she gave up fighting.

"I love you and always have. Believe me, you are the only girl in my life, the only girl I want to love forever, the only girl I want to spend all my life with."

She glanced at me unsurely, fear dancing in her eyes. I pulled in closer.

"Trust me, please?" I said slowly.

"I don't know. I have been through-"

"Shh." I said, putting a finger on her lips. "I know baby, I know. But I will never leave you again." I kissed her forehead gently. She closed her eyes and let out a suffered sigh.

"I love you." She said finally, shifting herself to embrace me.

"I love you too, Sakura."

"CUT!"

I groaned.

"Syaoran, you were supposed to say 'I love you too Mia.'" The director yelled.

I drowned half a bottle of water and splashed my face with the rest of it. This was due. I should have seen it coming. Sakura had been messing my head up lately. Not to mention the fact that I hadn't seen her since two weeks. The last I was with her was during the dinner we had along with her uncle, Shiefa and her mental boyfriend, Touya. But she disappeared all the other time. She wasn't in the lab, she wasn't in the library (It was a moot point searching the monstrous place so I bribed Albert.) she wasn't anywhere she was supposed to be. An occasional swish of her skirts down the hallway was all I got to see, for she vanished in thin air by the time I reached the end of the corridors.

It was almost like she was avoiding me. And the genius sure must have figured out an old unused bunker to hide too. So I gave up being Columbus and came back to complete my movie. I wasn't scheduled to attend college for another week and hoped that by then, Eriol would find the elusive 'lady in red'. Wonder why she hated me so much anyways.

"I can't believe I have to take this shot again" Anne, my director muttered as she sank into a chair next to mine.

I felt guilty for ruining the scene. I looked at her sheepishly as she said sternly "I don't want anymore retakes, Syaoran. This will be the last shot, you get it?" I nodded and got up hoping Eriol would be able to decode her secret place. I also hoped that the he wouldn't let his instincts kick in and start charming her. My dearest friend also my manager was quite the smooth talker when it came to women, courting them with his sickly sweet gentlemanly charisma.

Besides, wooing her was my job and I intended to do it with just the two of us in picture.

.

.

"Where is my hero?"

I snapped out of my musings and shuffled over towards the set.

"Anne?" I poked her shoulder.

"Yes?"

"Wouldn't it be easier if we renamed the character to 'Sakura' instead of 'Mia'?"

"Bollocks! I swear I was kidding… Ow that hurt! Since when did you carry a Swiss army knife in your pocket?!"

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**Author says:** Thank you for your reviews. I appreciate them, truly and honestly. Arigatou!

_**AngelEmCuti: **_Just so you know, I love this which tags your reviews, "^_^". Keep reviewing and reading.

_**Mrs. Radcliffe 13:**_ So did you try the dance? (winks). Syaoran would definitely doubt her sanity, yes. Oh, the trouble you mentioned? It makes an appearance in the next chapter probably. Thank you for reviewing and keep reading!

_**Jadorelavida: **_"Surely you're joking Mr. Feynman" is a classic and one of my favorites. You like it too? That's great! I know I write pretty short chapters. A habit which I am trying to get out of, I assure you. I will do my best to post more substantial chapters. As for Tomoyo and Eriol, you said the words a chapter sooner (smiles). Please keep up the reading and the reviews too.


	6. 3 AM

**Author's note:** I am sorry for the delayed update. I was busy with my college, as usual. Also I was pretty miffed with abysmal response I got. It sort of kills the mood and the motivation. So please review after you finish reading, pretty please? Reviews are the best way to cheer up your frazzled authoress and make her post faster updates. Arigatou.

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**Disclaimer:** All the character's names in this story are a property of CLAMP. The story, plotline, character sketch and Sir Jack Huntington are MINE! YOU HEAR THAT? MINE AND MINE ALONE. Deep breath. Sorry about that, stress attack. :)

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At three in the night of a regular weekend, the activity in the Kinomoto household is minimal. You will see my uncle in a deep sleep with pronounced snores in the bedroom on downstairs. Tired and jet lagged from attending a conference in Japan, he hit the sack as soon as he arrived. As you mount the twisted stairs, you will notice that Touya's bed is empty except for his scattered clothes on the carpet. No he doesn't sleep on the floor; He's in London for the weekend, escorting Shiefa for some ball thrown by the Li industries. Finally, you observe that the porch light is turned on and a person huddled in the pale white Adirondack chair.

That, is me.

Yes, the woman wearing the yellow pajamas with dancing sheep illustrations.

What's with that smirk? If you must know, it was Touya's when he was 11. It also is the most comfortable night suit I have ever owned. And I heard that snickering too, so quit it before I hack you with my pencil.

On straining your ears a little more, you can hear the furious scratching of the same pencil. I was due for a research briefing tomorrow at the university and it figures that while you sit in a shelf of a cookie store, the reports you are due won't finish themselves. This midnight rendezvous was given the finishing touch by my beloved tub of sinfully rich black currant ice cream sitting on one of the armrests while I worked by resting on the other.

Scooping another spoon, I furrowed my eyebrows in concentration. My right hand drew rough strokes across the paper. After a minute, I put the paper on the coffee table with a triumphant ! I had finished an entire two page illustration on the misadventures of Li in the rainforests of Borneo. He ended up drowning in a poisonous swamp.

I grinned, admiring my handiwork. The smile on my face slipped when I realized that my amateur sketches were traversed all over the Spectrometer reading sheets. Sighing, I pushed them away. Pulling my feet up, I huddled in the chair and glared fiercely at the manila folder containing my papers. I was distracted, yet again. That was the 7th time in the last 4 hours. Give me any writing tool and I went into a psychotic frenzy of sketching my take on how Syaoran Li can die.

So far he was eaten up by crocodiles, thrown down the Eiffel Tower, stamped to death by giraffes, choked on his morning breakfast, asphyxiated by his fans, crashed in his obnoxious Porsche, contracted kwashiorkor, hanged himself for failing in physics …

I frowned at the realization.

I was taking this whole I-hate-Syaoran-Li campaign to a different level entirely. And the strange part was I had never realized how many reports and scan sheets were filled with his graphic death sequences. Whoa, I hated him more than I knew. Or maybe Tomoyo was right- NO! My brain must have got muddled with the stress. That's it. I was going quite loony.

Yes, Physics and Li are a deadly combo, one that will push you over towards madness. After continuing to question my sanity like that for a while, I reached over for my folder and extracted a rather battered looking envelope from it.

It was emerald green in color and must have looked swanky and neat. That is, before it had been sloshed over by a spilled cup of tea and prior to the appearance of the broad tyre marks on it, an exact replica of Touya's Aston Martin. Now it looked haggard as it was also crumpled several times. I looked at it warily. And I had good reason to all the inhuman things I did to the harmless piece of paper.

It was Syaoran Li's note.

For me.

Eriol, his manager had handed it to me before going gooey-eyed at Tomoyo that day. (How that spectacled freak managed to locate me was beyond my intelligence. Maybe he can see through walls and cupboard shelves, where I hide.) Fanning it lightly, I contemplated the note and its contents.

It was unlike Li, to not show up for more than a week. That would mean missing hundreds of opportunities to stalk, haunt and follow me around the campus. Not something he would do on his own. So hoping that he had given me an early Christmas present by transferring out of the college, I had eagerly ripped the seal and skimmed the note.

_Sweetheart (that means you, Kinomoto)_

_If you are reading this, then Eriol must have got lucky and found your hiding place. Tell me; is it some trapdoor or some secret vault hidden in the confines of the library? Because that was the only new place I didn't rummaged. Anyway, I am writing this to let you know that I will be filming my movie for another week. So you can come out the hiding and breathe easy. Also, I don't like that look of pure delight across your face now. _

_Wonder why you hate me. Is it the handsome smile or my rugged looks or my devilish charms or … all right, I can imagine the cogs of your mind whirling with new plans to crucify me so will stop there. Sorry, I couldn't resist it. _

_Syaoran Li._

_Ps: miss you. _

Predictably, I was close to self immolation by the time I finished it. How did he manage to make me hyper ventilate with just a letter? That incorrigible flirt syndrome was sure in its advanced stage. However, after an instant, a wave of dizzy relief washed over me. The campus was Li-free for another week atleast. Hurrah! I was a free bird. And just like that, I had run out of the shop raving about my freedom. Aristotle would have been proud at my histrionics and Tomoyo must have cringed in embarrassment. Which is probably why I hadn't seen her since that day? Or could that smooth talking freak of Eriol charmed his way through? Whatever it was, I couldn't care less; escaped convict that I was.

Enjoying my Freedom week to the fullest, I had plunged totally into the world of physics and research. The discrepancies in the calculations involving meson and free particles were promptly sorted. Both my uncle and Albert (The pug faced librarian) were surprised to see me roam freely in broad daylight. So cheerful was the prospect of not seeing my stalker for another week that I had even wished good morning to the dean and smirked inwardly for his visibly confused face.

As the week passed, I had to stop the impulse to duck into any broom closet I was walking past. I also had to stop running like a frightened gazelle across the courtyards and remind myself that he wasn't around, so walking at a human pace is fine. The storeroom, the dean's office and other contingency detours of mine had to be expunged from my internal route map too.

But after a couple of days, things felt strange. No, I wasn't missing him. More like I was missing the rush of adrenaline which comes from running till you are breathless or hiding successfully so you cannot be discovered. Or I was missing the thrill of escaping from his clutches. Or, maybe, I was starting to dread the weekend and the personalized agony treatment I will be receiving. Ah, that was it. I was having a bittersweet moment about my short-lived liberty. That should definitely be the explanation. That or pms. Why else would I start thinking of him in this time of the night with loads of work left to complete.

I sighed as I sat down to review the presentation. Couple of points seemed to be missing and others needed highlighting. Like I said it was a damned long night. And my spoon had hit the rock bottom of the ice cream tub. I slammed the empty carton in annoyance and got up. Stretching myself, I walked towards the kitchen for a refill.

* * *

I parked my car and jumped out of it excitedly. Reaching over for my duffel bag from the passenger seat, I rushed towards the cobblestone pathway leading up to the huge gates. Grabbing the intercom phone, I woke up the sleeping guard, gave him my name and the college ID card for verification. Grumpy returned it to me with a grimace and went back to snoring. I gave a cheerful smile and walked inside, hoisting my bag on my back.

* * *

A faint vibration came from my left side. I ignored the buzzing contraption and snuggled inside the covers. The bloody thing started ringing after a minute. I pulled myself up and looked at the blinking screen groggily. Reaching over for my glasses, I took the phone in other hand. Now that I could see clearly, I realized it was Syaoran calling. At 3 am!? I promptly cut the phone and leaned back.

That love sick puppy was not going to ruin my sleep again for psychoanalyzing if that Kinomoto woman loved him secretly or not. I was done tolerating his idiosyncrasies. The note was handed over to her promptly. It is not my fault that she ran out of the store screaming something about freedom like a banshee.

Her friend, on the other hand looked heavenly even as she cringed in embarrassment at the retreating form. I still remember her lovely face framed by soft tendrils of ebony black hair.

Wait. Wasn't our breakfast date tomorrow?

Or did Tomoyo say- The phone buzzed again. I groaned and reached over. Syaoran babbled something about having finished his shoot early and how he was on his way to Oxfordshire. Great. Why wouldn't he let the girl have atleast a peaceful night? He plagued her days anyway. He growled and said he wouldn't wake her up and only wanted to see her. So I was thinking aloud? An affirmation from Syaoran made me clamp my mouth with my free hand. After asking if he could get his college stuff by morning, Romeo hung up.

Suddenly, the girl's allergic reactions towards Syaoran's presence make sense. It would be logical to hate the classic stalker prototype of Syaoran Li who creeps up her bedroom window at night to watch her sleep only because he hasn't seen her since 3 weeks. Well, She atleast seemed competent enough to keep up with a dork like Syaoran Li, So I flipped over the pillow to go back to my dreaming of a certain lavender eyed beauty.

* * *

After I was satisfied with the toppings of nuts and chocolate sauce smothered over the ice cream, I walked back towards the porch cautiously. The lights were all out and I didn't want to end up on the floor for tripping over the hem of the carpet. Taking one step at a time, I was almost halfway down the living room when I heard a faint shuffling noise outside. Since it couldn't be a sleepwalking Touya, I stood still, wondering if I was imagining things. The muted but persistent shuffles continued. Panic bells went off in my head when I heard a small yelp and the cussing which followed.

It must be some serial killer who had escaped from prison. Or was it some foreign country spy who wanted our research papers? Maybe I should wake up my uncle. But considering his frail personality and nervous disposition, he was likely to kill himself over it. After contemplating police, I decide to check out the source of the disturbance myself before I woke them up and made them drive all the way down here. I set my bowl of ice cream on the coffee table in the living room and gave it one last look of regret before walking out. On the way, I grabbed Touya's prized cricket bat from his university days from the umbrella stand and stepped outside carefully.

Owing to my hyper active imagination the disturbance outside could have been caused by anyone, ranging from a hedgehog, a stray cat to a burglar, homicidal maniac, suicidal lunatic, misogynistic murderer, woman trafficker, kidnapper to paparazzi, anal-retentive fans of Touya … The possibilities where whirling in my mind when I approached the source of commotion, sneaking in the shadows all the time. The grass was still wet with the mild showers of the evening.

I stalked forward dramatically, bat raised in my hand. After squinting for a while, I could make out that there was indeed a creep, trying to peer into the window of the guest bedroom. He was wearing a black hoodie and was trying to undo the window latch, muttering all the while. Ah, so we had a professional thief trying to sneak in. He was not doing a good job with the apparent pep talk he was giving himself. I inched towards him slowly as he continued his futile attempts with the bedroom window. If only he knew I had it hammered shut last fall. After reaching as close I could I took a deep breath.

**Whack.**

I walloped him straight and hard on the head. So hard that I think I just heard a small crack come from the bat. Hoping I hadn't broken my cousin's precious hardwood bat and proud of myself to have knocked out the thief, I look up to see the man twist towards me as he falls down.

"Kinomoto?" He said with a vague smile before he collapsed onto me.

What was so funny in being clubbed by a bat? And how did he know my name? Sure his voice sound familiar-

Oh my god, I just killed Syaoran Li!

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**Author says:** I thank all my amazing reviewers who read and review so patiently. I am grateful to all the readers who add my story to their favorites and put it on alerts. I appreciate every single gesture of yours. Also I would also greatly appreciate if the reviews are more constructive. Keep the reviews and responses flowing, please?

_**AngelEmCuti: **_I really appreciate your prompt and fast reviews. And Sakura's place is sure something, na? I used to hide in the lower shelves of my mom's kitchen when playing hide and seek as a kid. So you can see where the idea came from (winks). Please keep reading and reviewing.

_**sweet-breeze-sensations: **_ I just got a high with you saying that my story is the "best I've ever read". Muaaah. Love you (and your reviews). Keep them coming.

_**Mrs. Radcliffe 13: **_Should I feel sad for your exercise ball? Lol, just kidding. There, the much prophesized trouble makes its arrival finally. You liked Tomoyo too? I got quite fond of her character as I started writing it. So much that I decided to stretch it and make it into an important side role rather than just an obscure cookie store owner.(which was the original plan.) Hope you will like this chapter. Please read and review? (Hugs)

_**Ellabell: **_there dearest, wish granted. Although it wasn't an update termed under 'soon', was it? Sorry for the delay. Please keep reading and reviewing.


	7. The EMO couch

**Author's note:** I know I am late. Sorry. But I did say something about my grad school application earlier, didn't I? And on a happier note, it's all done. I have been accepted at university of Bristol this year. Whooopeee.(Crazy jig). And here is the update you thought I would never write. Read and review please. I love you all!

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**Disclaimer: **You would be mental in thinking I could ever own these characters. Google them and you'll know they belong to CLAMP. D-uh. Now that it has been sorted, will please quit badgering me?

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I stared at my right hand. The tiny mole on my wrist was now being daubed by a slow trickle of blood. I kept looking at it, unconscious of the weight of the person slumped against me. The night had become entirely silent now; even my uncle's snores had disappeared. I stood in a trance, still processing what had just transpired.

And so, while I thought, his hair mussed across my face as his face started sagging down my shoulder. I took hold of his arms on the either side and steadied him against me, hands trembling all the while. What? Why was the ice queen being a wuss all of a sudden, you wonder? Well sorry if I don't have murdering people with cricket bats as my repertoire!

I leaned over and tried to feel his pulse. For a moment, underneath that bulky hoodie of his, I heard my own terrified breathing. My shaky hands tried to hold his head still as he began to fall over me meanwhile. I began to doubt if any of my pulse was left. My panic levels increased and just as my legs started wobbling with the sheer terror, I must have heard the most beautiful sound in the world:

His heartbeat.

He spluttered a bit and drew in air in a long gasp finally. I almost sank down to the ground in relief. Damn this clown, making me kill myself like that. He gave me the biggest scare of my life. No, strike that. The second biggest scare, the first would be forgetting physics. I looked down at him, conveniently unconscious. Sighing, I took a deep breath and prepared to drag this pseudo dead body towards the porch.

* * *

A young woman dressed elegantly in a deep purple jeweled gown and holding two champagne flutes strode across the vast ballroom, smiling politely at people who nodded at her. Not that anyone didn't. It wasn't that people would come to one of the most extravagant bashes hosted by the Li industries and not recognize one of the heiresses to the same. She was looking for a certain person and when she found him comfortably in conversation with her father, she inwardly relaxed. Gods were extra kind to her today. With one person already out of scene, she had a relatively easier task at hand: to keep a certain man away from

"I see that you have a young man with you today, darling?" a tall woman said, accosting her at the center of the ballroom.

Her mother.

She cringed inwardly as her pendant was duly adjusted by her mother who looked back to see the effect.

"There dear, perfect!"

A perfectionist at heart, her mother was. Shiefa always felt that her mother could never be satisfied with anything. Especially not her choice when it came to men. Finding faults in her boyfriends was the favorite pastime of Syaoran and her mother. Admitted that Syaoran had a streak of possessiveness that made him growl and snarl at the dates she brought home, she knew he would get over it if the man held ground instead of running for cover like a frightened colt. But her mother was impossible to please.

It was always

"Don't be silly, that man had a crooked bow tie."

Or

"Did you see his left hand? My! What was that hideous tattoo for?"

Or

"His teeth, darling, his teeth. How could even let him kiss you!"

She sighed. And it was just now that she was thanking the heavens on an almost perfect evening, for evading her mother's attention. Premature prayers, she thought and smiled at the woman in front of her, bracing herself for the questions of scrutiny that would follow.

* * *

Hell, this man was lot heavier than what he seemed. Logically, people did tend to get more bulky when they are unconscious. But for the love of god, dragging his bulky frame till the door was one of the most physically most exhausting things I had ever done. The only exercise that came even close to comparing to this was my marathon to catch a flight to London in Dubai's insanely long airport. I paused to take a breath at the threshold. For anyone passing by, I would look like a guilty criminal who was lugging a dead body to hide in the attic. Shivering slightly at the implications, I hastened to pull him across the entrance as slowly as possible. Thanking my stars that my uncle was a deep sleeper and the timely Li party Shiefa had dragged my cousin to, I pulled him inside the living room, groaning silently.

When we reached the EMO couch, I gave up trying on dislocating my hands from their sockets and dumped him unceremoniously on it. Flopping myself on the bean bag nearby (I know, extremely childish and extremely Touya) I reached eagerly for the half filled bottle of water on the coffee table and emptied it in a flash. Phew. So much for saving a stalker from dying of concussion! Obviously either he or I were in dire need of therapy. Or maybe he was suffering from a neurotic stalker syndrome and I was having an attack of paranoid sadism. I glared at him through my musings, wondering when he would get up and I can start sanitizing the house from his germs. And just then, as if my cursing took a physical form and whacked him on the face, he winced.

I leaned towards him curiously. His crown was matted with blood and he seemed to be in some pain. On a closer observation, I realized I had dumped him in a rather awkward position. His head was leaning against the hard headboard and bumping his wound. I got up and stretched his legs across the length of the couch. Pulling the cushions underneath him, I eased him in a sleeping position and stacked them under his head. After checking for his pulse again (He may have died in the violent dragging session) I went to retrieve my papers from the porch.

The briefing I was due today was screwed big time. Not like I can do anything now, I consoled myself. It was nearing 4 am already and I felt like a sleep deprived zombie walking right from the grave. Closing the door and pepping up the heaters I went back to living room to inspect our comatose guest. Not that I expected him to do cartwheels after a concussion, but regaining consciousness would ease my conscience a bit. But well, He was such a dumb brain when awake, that I didn't mind him out of action for a while. It suited him more too, I think. He looked lot more human this way.

I heaped the files and papers on the coffee table and yawned. Sleep. I needed it badly. I looked at the cup of melted ice cream on the table wistfully. It looked like a melancholic milkshake now, with the sad faces of nuts floating around in chocolate sauce. I took out the spoon and tried to sip it. And it tasted weird, with a foggy feel of grapes blended with chocolates. It wouldn't do. And I was too tired to go and get some more. Promising to treat myself today afternoon, I went to drag my dead feet upstairs. The kill-Syaoran Li dreams were already starting to dance in my semi lidded eyes.

"wate..." A small groan came. I jerked my eyes open temporarily and looked around. Li wanted water now. Why couldn't he have been unconscious for another 5-6 hours? That way I would get some respite too. But no, his highness was born without an internal body clock. That explained his 3 am shutter opening act. I walked past him toward the kitchen and hauled a glass out of the cabinet. Filling it with water I trudged back and knelt near his head.

He was blinking irregularly and I made an empty wish that his memory was damaged in some way or the other and I was an unknown stranger-

"Kino…Kinomoto?" He looked at me dazedly, dashing my hopes to ground. Figures the tooth fairy can be quite the vindictive vixen if you refused to believe in her as a child. Like the brazen way she was reversing all my wishes these days.

I nodded vaguely at his question, wondering if I could befuddle him by sadly twitching his head and telling

"You seems bewitched, laddie. There ain't anyone here by that name." in a high Scottish accent. But I was too tired for all those theatrics now. So I stuck to the less dramatic version of helping him drink water. He shifted slightly and took the glass in his own hand after a few initial sips. His poise was very disorienting for his head so I reached out to his shoulders and waited for him to finish it.

The cold flooring was uncomfortable for my knees. I longed to go back to my warm cozy bed and sleep. Snuggle in the heavy reassurance of the blankets, fluff up the pillows and sleep. Could anything be more divine than that?

Good old slee…

"Oi, Kinomoto, wake up! Did you knock yourself up too?"

* * *

**Author says:** It's been a month and I still hear from you people every other day. Either adding me to your favorites list or putting my story on alert and the sweetest of all, reviewing my work. I am overwhelmed and truly appreciate all of you out there. Thank you. Please keep reading and reviewing. Love you all.

_**StarAngel02: **_So glad you like my story. (Grinning widely). I love that you reviewed and hope that you wouldn't mind this delayed-by-eternity update. Keep reading and reviewing.

_**Blissful Delight: **_ OMG, I TOTALLY LOVE THAT YOU LOVE THIS CRAZY FIC! (Broad smiles) Your review was so enthusiastic that it made me smile for 5 whole minutes. Thank you for that feel good moment. And, err, I think the update was only ahem, teensy bit late. Hope you didn't give up on me. Love you and your reviews. Do read my story.

_**AngelEmCuti: **_Insane and pointless too, I know. But well, Syaoran was being Syaoran. He, err, tends to get way too impulsive. And as for Sakura's sanity, rest assured, is in perfect condition. It is her heart that needs some attention. All in due course of time, of course. You write terrific reviews. Oh, and just to remind, I love these"^_^". Read and review, please.

_**Black Licorice Addict: **_Wow, You got yourself a new name. Sounds lot more mysterious, I must say. Cricket did you say? I would dare you to entice her to leave her lab actually. Thank you for your prompt reviews. It is amazing to hear from you every time. Keep reading and reviewing.

_**Ellabell:**_ Thank you dear. Appreciate your reviews. Do read my story.

_**Kiki fuji:**_ Glad you like this insane indulgence of mine. I hope you enjoy my story for a lot more while too. Do read and review.


	8. The Fusion

**Author's note: **A quick update and also the longest chapter I have ever written. Is it too long? Would you people prefer shorter chapters? I would like all your opinions please. Do review. Love you all.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Me not own them. Go ask CLAMP.

* * *

Darkness. I was running in an endless corridor. The only source of light was being dimly lighted torches hung low in a sinister way, couple of feet apart. My feet were moving on their own accord. I gasped breathless as I tried to make sense of my senseless sprinting. The view seemed distorted. Why were the walls slanting outwards? And what was this place? It looked like an elaborate set for a medieval subterranean secret passage. So that means I am the hero for the scene. Yeah, definitely makes more sense than me being a warped version of a frenzied hamster-man running in a looped corridor till death comes by exhaustion. Now, on a closer observation, I can't see anything behind me. Nor do I hear hurried footsteps. So that eliminates a rescued damsel or a psychotic villain following me. All right, that leaves me on a jog to self enlightenment or some philosophical garbage I don't care about. So I will assume that my childhood fantasy has come true; there is a huge treasure chest at the end of this weird tunnel!

Ah, I can see already. Chunks of diamonds and rubies, ancient gold coins, jeweled crosses and antique ornaments and me with an eye patch. What? Makes me look like an authentic pirate, don't you think? The swashbuckling, fearless and mighty pirate, Syaoran lounging with captured princesses in the high seas.

Wham.

Ow! Ouch. Damn, why did they have to put up real stone walls for this scene? I must have run into it when I was dreaming about… wait. Super weird moment alert. I had a dream in a dream. Is that even possible? And don't dead ends usually mean treasure? In my case though, the booty is a caved in wall, a frail rat scurrying into its hole and dust bunnies everywhere. Everything is a pathetic tease these days, always luring me to some unattainable treasure. Like never-ending movie schedules. Like gold caskets. Like Kinomoto. Given a chance between me and a cliff-high leap, I can wager she'll choose the later without a moment's hesitation. Apart from disappointment on not getting the one girl you like fall for you, it is such a blow to my ego to see her brush me off like one of those cockroaches near the old outhouse of the unused greenhouse in the campus.

I shuffled up and down as I recalled that elusive kiss we had ages back. Those tingles of electricity which ran through me when I first brushed her soft lips with mine reminded me how it felt to have her in my arms. Wonder if she will ever let me come that close to her without a restraining order? Or maybe I should risk a certain death and try to kiss her one last time. Ugh. Look at me, the lovesick martyr.

In midst of my wallowing in a rare case of self pity, I almost stumbled against something that stuck my foot. Considering the fact that the corridor was hardly few feet wide, it led me to bumping my head to the wall yet again in the past 5 minutes. Smooth move, Syaoran, Real smooth. Smarting at the rising bump, I squatted down to see that it was an old fashioned brass knocker. Since the stone wall was unlikely to have a knocker (the way it seemed to me, the only thing that could open it was a sledgehammer with a Schwarzenegger.) I realized I was standing on a trap door. Stepping back, I pull the heavy wooden plate apart to see a dimply lit passageway. Dropping down the small hole, I wade through the knee-high water towards the source of light. As the light grew brighter, I hurried my pace. Soon I was standing in front manhole cover.

Pushing it away, I hoisted myself up. Sunlight flooded my eyes and I grinned widely, relishing the warmth. I was standing on a Mediterranean beach, azure waves lapping my feet gently. I turned around to see a huge wooden casket with heaps of gold and jewels next to the upturned manhole cover. My treasure. I stepped forward eagerly when I noticed something else. A knight standing guard with a, wait, cricket bat? Knights played cricket?

"It's our favorite sport, sire." She replied.

"Women are knights too?" I quizzed, thoroughly perplexed by this person in between me and the bounty.

"You don't remember me, my lord?" she said as she remover her visor.

I peered at the woman closely. However queer the garb might be, I could never mistake her.

"Kinomoto?" I said hesitantly as a feeling of déjà vu seeped into me. After a second, I knew why when she replied cheerfully "indeed, it's me", raising her bat meanwhile to take aim and club me to death. I stepped away from her in alarm wondering what a knight was doing in a pirate adventure. And just then, I felt the ground slip away from my feet. I was falling down the passageway I had escaped out of.

A bottomless pit of darkness, pulling me in. I could see her smiling face and the gigantic cricket bat she wielded in her hand as I went into oblivion.

Aaaaaah-

I sucked in air deeply as I woke up. The next thing I remember is to try to kick myself for doing so. Because the moment I rose my head from the head rest, a sharp pain shot through my head. I went giddy and fell back to the cushions under my head. Closing my eyes, I ignored the dull throbbing in my head and wondered if my memory was damaged already. An innocent attempt to sneak a glance at Kinomoto - a hard knock on the head by the queen of baseball herself - me waking up in her living room couch and a sudden thirst for water. Ah, that meant I was alive and sane, luckily. Because with her reputation, I am surprised my brain wasn't dislocated permanently. Obviously she missed the home run or did she exact her revenge somewhere else! A hurried examination of my body reveals no more injuries. Rather I hear a soft breathing just above my heart. Soft hairs were curled near my neck, moving gently to the rhythm of my own breathing.

With one hand resting on my pectorals, Kinomoto was deep asleep across my torso.

I stared mutely in astonishment at her, wondering vaguely if this was another of those twisted dream-inside-a-dream sequences I was having. If it was, I'd say it at least felt damned real. The whole mussed up hair and slow breathing coupled with a lazy sunshine peeking through the French windows made us look like a pair of lovers who fell asleep after a late night movie, when actually we were a rather a dysfunctional pair made of a handsome movie star and a misanthropic particle physicist. Although seeing her sleep so soundly didn't make her seem a man hater now. That's the deal. I don't understand this woman. And to think I am considered to be an Adonis for females in general. Here I am, head over heels for this Bohemian girl and then you have her, believing devoutly that I am a Satan incarnate. And amidst my conflicting movie schedules, lecherous actresses, mad fan clubs and even madder mother breathing down my neck to finish my college I have yet another issue to deal with, convince the one girl I like not to hate me.

So what was I thinking before I drifted away? Right, wondering if I was dreaming again. Honestly, it doesn't seem plausible to me that she clubs me on the head and then hugs me and falls asleep. Kinomoto maybe many things, but schizophrenic isn't one of them. After all, I have been hit on my head. I may be hallucinating. My brains probably got addled. I am such a sucker for her that I keep living in fantasies revolving around her. And as I conjure up various disturbing alternate scenarios, I start freaking out. What if one of those is really true? For all I know, I might be in coma since ages now. That explains the oddity in my dream sequences too. I need to snap out of this seriously real dream of mine somehow or end up as another Alice in Kinomoto-land. Pinching myself didn't work out. No, I need something more effective to wake up from my trance. I look around for an answer.

And as I did some frantic thinking, I felt a small yawn rumble across my chest. Holy cow, I totally forgot about this goddess in my arms. As I look at her shifting her face towards me away from the blinding sunlight, I get an idea. Pulling myself up in a sitting position, I look down resolutely.

"Kinomoto, wake up." I whisper in her ear as I try to shake her shoulders.

"Mmmhh" she sounded an unintelligible response. I stubbornly try to wake her up again.

"Kinomoto, wake up. I need you to kiss me." I say as she begins to stir remotely in my arms.

"Whaa-"She mumbled.

"I said I need to kiss me. Now" I said seriously as I wait for her reaction with baited breath.

"oh hum OK." She replied groggily as she pouted and moved closer.

I knew it! I knew I was in some sort of looped dream of mine. I was never awake. There is no other way she would agree to kiss me. Not without trying to kick me in the shins for suggesting it in the first place. She is my fantasy Sakura, who agrees to kiss me without a thought. Sigh. I was definitely in a coma in some swanky hospital with my mother arranging the flowers neatly on my bedside table. I can only imagine what a sensation I must have become.

"Popular actor Li in an indefinite blackout." I muttered gloomily to myself.

"What about my kiss-"dream Kinomoto wondered as she continued to sleep. I sighed. Might as well live my harmless fantasy now. I leaned towards her face slowly and brushed my lips against hers slowly. She smiled sleepily. I kissed her again, angling my head against hers. She felt so warm and alive. Tracing the contours of her now flushed lips with my tongue, I pulled back to see this angel in my arms. So what if she wasn't real, I reasoned. This was all I could get from-

"You don't break away in the middle of a kiss, you dork." She said as her eyes fluttered open slightly and reached out for my face. At least I had imagined her personality right, I thought to myself before kissing her again.

After a teasing request to taste her, she obliged and opened her mouth. Her small hands wandered in my hair as my tongue explored her tantalizing mouth. It tasted of grapes and chocolates. The kiss was getting intoxicating and the most realistic of dreams till date. She sucked slowly on my bottom lip and I groaned. French kissing never felt so electrifying. After a few heated moments, we split apart for breath. I moved down to her delicate collarbone, nipping it gently. She moaned slowly and tightened the hold on my hair, massaging my scalp and allowing me to continue my ministrations. Flicking my tongue across her right ear, I smirked as she let out another moan of approval. The smirk however was premature as she grabbed a tuft of hair near my crown. The same area which was quite sensitive to cricket bats, headboards and hands.

"Oww" I screamed as I drew back hastily. My head was throbbing more than ever.

"What-"Kinomoto said, opening her eyes fully for the first time. And then I saw a really funny range of expressions cross her face. She stared for a full minute, blinking confusedly. Then she looked down at herself sitting in my lap and me on her living room couch. And as if her brain had gone for a vacation, she touched her face slowly, pinching her cheeks. And then all of a sudden she got up and looked down at her toes and wriggled them. And finally, she raised her head and gave me a look of pure horror which was quite unsettling, considering that she was only a figment of my imagination.

* * *

Tomoyo walked down the graveled path in a leisured pace. She was soon joined by Eriol after swinging the compound gate shut. He smiled briefly as they resumed walking at an unhurried pace. She was carrying a basket of freshly baked honey and apricot cookies for the Kinomotos.

"So, how long do you and Miss Kinomoto know each other?" Eriol asked on their way to the university staff quarters.

Tomoyo laughed gently. Eriol listened to her tinkling laugh with a mesmerized expression. However, he quickly resumed his smiling countenance as she answered his question.

"Ever since I came to England. Sakura was the first friend I made when Mother took up the job as the confectioner for the campus store 6 years ago." Tomoyo replied with a reminiscent smile.

"And has she always been so, err, different?" Eriol asked hesitatingly.

Tomoyo laughed loudly this time as she pushed the wooden gate of the Kinomoto bungalow aside and indicated him to walk inside.

"You mean 'has she always been this flaky?' right?" she asked mischievously.

Eriol coughed gently and replied in the same teasing tone "I never implied that, did I?"

Tomoyo glanced at him slyly.

"Nevertheless, I understand your implications. Sakura is quite hyper when it comes to it, I must say. But she's not the one to lose control like this. Your friend must be quite the persistent lad to make her flip this way."

"Definitely persistent" murmured Eriol as he recalled the conversation he had that early morning from Syaoran. When Tomoyo turned her head towards him confused, He smiled quickly.

"So you have you taken her as a refugee from other pursuing men before?" He asked, deftly evading her questioning glance.

"No" Tomoyo replied calmly with a flirtatious smirk. On seeing Eriol's gaze, she continued

"You see, she usually prefers to gouge the eyeballs out of the men who annoy her."

Eriol only stared as she tapped on the brass knocker.

* * *

"You fool, how dare you call me 'a mere figment of your dumb imagination'?"

"So does that mean I am not in a coma?"

"No! But all the nonsense you have been sprouting since then is making me wish you an eternity in it."

"And you are real too?"

"How many times do I have to tell that already?"

"The kiss! The kiss wasn't my fantasy then? it was for real? between you and me?"

"Yes it was. Were you born brain dead, you retarded idiot?"

"We are real, I am alive, out of a coma and you kissed me!? Kinomoto kissed me!"

And just like that he ran past my living room, flung the door aside for a shocked Tomoyo with Four-eyes and rushed past them towards his dorm.

Behold, extremely awkward, mentally crippling and embarrassing moment of my life coming up. I must have traded my sanity with the gods for that kiss. And shouldn't kissing someone in such an addictive way be prohibited when they were in a half-asleep state? But god, he was a great kisser. Not that I would admit that to anyone but well, if you try and forget that it was that idiot with those lips, you could get lost in- For the love of all things holy, Did I really kiss him then? What was I thinking! -apart from the way his lips flitted across yours and-

Oh god, I so hate my conscience now!

.

.

.

"Say Tomoyo; is it a ritual for her to kiss a man senseless before she pulls his eyeballs out of their sockets?"

"Apparently yes, Eriol. It _does_ seem to be her way of doing it."

* * *

**Author says: **I know I shouldn't be complaining but today, I am in a mood for it. Is it really so hard to appreciate this story to leave a review? I do know that hundreds of people visit my stories and attempt to read them. I see the alerts this story has. But compared to the above two, I see only a fraction of reviews submitted. Is it really such a pain in the arse or do you simply think I don't deserve any? Don't take me wrong, I am neither begging nor forcing for your reviews. I am merely observing what happens every time I update. And I do wish I could understand why.

_**AngelEmCuti: **_I am so glad SxS made you laugh through your bad mood dear. (smiles) Hope you will like this chapter too. Do read and review!

_**Blissful Delight: **_Aww, thank you! It feels so good to have such caring reader. I fess up quite a lot when I update late and worry myself to death. Thank you for reading and reviewing my story. Please keep doing that.

Oh, and did you really read my other story? (Cringing in embarrassment) I really would prefer you not to. That is more like a perfect example on what "not" to write in a story. And if you already have, hope you won't judge me too hard.

_**Jadorelavida: **_Hurrah, you are back! I was wondering if you abandoned my story. (giggles) So you anticipated the much awaited kiss, hah? Well, I couldn't help it. I wanted to make this chapter a filler and introduce couple of other characters but I couldn't resist a SxS smooch. So there, Sakura: 1 Syaoran: 1 (big grin) Oh, and I need to clear certain doubts too, don't I? Here goes:

EMO couch: "Extreme-action Make-Out" couch, as dubbed by Sakura when she sees Touya and Shiefa on it for the first time. (Chapter 4)

Shiefa: Is the only sister of Syaoran Li in this story. I think he has enough issues at hand to have four meddlesome sisters to manage too. The quirkiness however will be provided by Yelan Li, so no worries.

_**Kwalaa Bear:**_ I absolutely loved your formal declaration of love (chuckles) and also your informal verdict on my story. Finally I get to hear what I have eagerly anticipated since the first chapter. Sakura's personality. So you like her too? I am so glad, because I am quite proud of her histrionics, if I should say. And as for the review, it was quite overwhelming (I sat with a goofy grin plastered across my face for quite a while) but I don't mind such incidents at all. Not one bit. Please read and review.


	9. The Samurai's kiss of love

**Authors note:** I have been busy, that is the only reason I can give for the horrid delay. It is a tough life everyday but I am doing my best. And in the midst of my busy schedule, if I have taken the pains to update, I hope you guys out there will realize that I am desperate for some reviews. Lol. Love you all.

* * *

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anyone. None at all. Not one bit.

* * *

She looked resignedly at the glittering ceiling as she walked ahead. Every step she took towards the man standing in front of her was filled with dreaded anticipation. As she neared him, he glanced in her direction in the midst of a dazzling laugh, making the elderly woman next to him beam appreciatively. She let a brief although knowing smile. It was the laugh he employed when he was flirting with women. The same one she had observed on him the first time, when he was flirting with an American heiress who was visiting the studio they were working in. Although he ceased to do that after the woman launched her own screech laugh of a banshee. She had doubled up with laughter seeing him cringe and was still smirking when he had glared at her. Snapping out of her reverie, she mused what her headstrong mother would say to-

"He does seem to be quite the elegant gentleman, sweetheart. Tell me, is he well endowed?"

"Mother! I –"She almost screamed before lowering the pitch and staring in shock. Her mother merely blinked at the outburst before continuing her long strides.

"I was only being inquisitive. A man needs to have his-"

"That will be enough." Shiefa hissed, eyes narrowing to slits. "I would appreciate it if you could reign in your blatant curiosity in front of my date tonight and-"

"Really dear, am glad your sensibilities have improved. Remember the last date you bought in? Horrible accent! For a moment I was left to wonder which dock you airlifted him from. I also remember him missing a cufflink. And his boots were muddy and splattered. And which young man would address his friends as mates?-"

"-stop bringing up my past like you always do." She said to herself with a groan even as her mother characteristically continued to pick faults with the Australian designer she had brought home the last summer. Syaoran had sneered and threatened to get him killed in a stampede, she had to break their immature brawl and needless to say it ended as a disaster. All her dates invariably met the same fate thanks to the one woman on her side.

And while she was flinching at the imperfections her mother was going to demonstrate with the aid of a telescope, the same lady was peeking shrewd glances towards the latest suitor seeking her daughter. He was definitely handsome, quite tall with boyish features. His sharp eyes and impish countenance did ease up the intensity with which she scrutinized him. She had heard about him, after all.

Touya Kinomoto was in the news since a couple of years, for his hugely successful movies and more importantly, the number of women the gossip tabloids had pictured him with. But Yelan Li was the woman who noticed a speck of lint on your coat more than the arm candy stuck to your waist. She strode towards him casually, her eyes scanning him all over. She smirked to herself as she heard her harried daughter's footsteps coming closer.

* * *

I sat in the bean bag gingerly as I had refused to sit in the brown couch Tomoyo indicated. I would be crazy to even go near it. Frankly, it looked like this damned piece of evidence in a crime scene. I imagined dusting it for fingerprints and blood. For someone who wanted to peek inside the house, Syaoran came a long way last night. I glanced at the staring contest of the two women in the room and turned away. Tomoyo was sitting ramrod stiff in the chair by the coffee table. I consciously tried to blend in the environment as much as possible. Looking around, I saw that there were numerous photos of Touya placed on the mantelpiece. And I thought Syaoran was an egotist. By the looks of this man, I must say Syaoran has more than met his match. Seriously, which guy orders a customized black beanie with his name emblazoned on it? Shiefa is dating a complete weirdo. After woolgathering in the same fashion for a while, I remove my glasses tiredly and pinch the bridge of my nose slowly. If I hadn't promised Tomoyo for breakfast, I would have been sleeping soundly in my bed. Between waking up at 3 in the morning to the idiot friend of mine and reaching the university gates early morning to deliver his baggage, I was hardly able to get back my sleep.

All for the freshly ruined breakfast date with Tomoyo. I put my glasses back and looked over to see Kinomoto fidgeting uncomfortably. I don't blame the poor girl; Tomoyo was quite an expert when it came to deathly stares, like masterpiece she was currently wielding on the Kinomoto girl. Why can't I see a neon lit signboard showing the emergency exit?

* * *

An icy glare met me when I looked up finally. She continued to stare at me relentlessly as she walked toward the dining room table and deposited her regular bounty of baked goods near the fruit bowl. I must have shrunk two sizes already. Twirling my toe on the soft woolen meshes of the carpet, I looked back apprehensively. From the corner of my eye, I could see Eriol slink away unobtrusively, clearing the stage for the showdown. I prayed mentally to survive Tomoyo's grilling session.

* * *

"You kissed him!"

"…"

"Well?"

"Maybe"

"Maybe?"

"Well, yes!"

"Why?"

"I thought…I thought it was a dream."

"So you sleepwalk towards him for a wake up kiss!?"

"No"

"No?"

"No I dint sleepwalk"

"…"

"We slept together"

"You did what?!"

"It was three in the night and I was tired-"

"So you both call it a night and wrap around each other and sleep?"

"No! God, Tomoyo, we just slept. Closed eyes, drop to sleep next to each other, that's all!"

"Are you INSANE?! Why do you schedule midnight sleepovers with the men you hide from by sitting under my cookie store shelves?"

"No, I gave him a concussion when I caught him creeping in the front lawn and he fell unconscious and I had to drag him inside or he could freeze to death and I would end up in prison all my life scrawling physics formulae on the grubby walls and then his highness wanted water and I fell asleep when he was drinking it and then I heard him talking in my dreams and I decided to humor his request as I was curious how his lips would taste and they were so intoxicating that I went on with my fantasy only to realize that it was not and he was real and I woke up and-"

I broke off my rant abruptly as I caught them looking at me with absolute expressions of shock.

.

.

"…"

"You kissed a guy of your own free will, finally! Mon Dieu, I thought you were going lesbian. Sakura, I am so proud of you!"

"Tomoyo! Oooof, I can't breathe. Tomoyo-"

If my jaw had dropped to ground earlier then now it was positively crawling on the plush carpet. Tomoyo had this wild frenzy about her as she proceeded to choke Kinomoto with vigor, all the time her eyes sparkling brightly. Why didn't anyone warn me of her extreme obsession with the Kinomoto girl? Sweet Jesus, things couldn't get any better in my life. I wonder how long I will be able to grasp to my sanity around this frantic bunch of misfits.

* * *

"Father, you need to help me. Mother is going to begin her spring cleaning on Touya and I am not sure-"

"Sweetheart-"She was interjected by a tall man, with a booming but a gentle voice addressing her. She looked up to meet his eyes with an anguished expression.

"I already spoke to him about your mother's err- fixation. And I must say, that young man is more capable of handling her than you seem to be assuming. He is very good with people, so I can see." He said, looking at her with a twinkling eye.

She colored slightly and looked away to catch a sight of Yelan beaming at her boyfriend. She then turned to answer her father's questioning glance.

"I love him. I truly do. And I am worried about mother, that's all."

"Darling, Till now you have been in love with Elvis Presley, Billie Joe Armstrong, George Clooney, Marc Jacobs, The French valet I had, The Ukrainian death metal singer who shot himself, Zac Efron-"

"Father! You know they were my childhood infatuations." She moaned as she buried her head in his shoulder with a blush creeping past her neck. He never forgot to remind her of her silly crushes. His laughter reverberated across his chest as he turned to hug her.

"I know my dear, I know. Now straighten up and smile. I can see you mother approaching us with the force of a tornado. Let me do the talking and you couple can have some time alone for the night, eh?" He teased as she groaned mockingly.

* * *

Touya smiled affably as he lightly held Yelan's arm as they walked around the ballroom, and Yelan introduced him graciously to family and acquaintances. He showed no signs of discomfort at her scrutiny. Rather he embraced it with a vigor that immediately sealed Yelan's approval. At one point of time as they stopped for drinks, He frowned and replaced the champagne flute as it felt a tad crooked. And on the other occasion when she was conversing with a business associate, He had politely denied on having any rivalry with Syaoran Li when questioned eagerly. Yelan beamed at him as they concluded their small tour and arrived where Shiefa was conversing intimately with her father, Hayashi Li. He smiled broadly as they arrived and presently drew Yelan away from the young couple. The origami lamp shades and chandeliers were lit already. A warm concoction of tulips and orchids wafted down French windows which led to a lush oriental garden. As the famed Belgian string quartet began their performance for the evening, Yelan entwined her arms with her husband's and let out a warm sigh of contentment. Her daughter had finally found a man who was perfect in all senses. No, wait. She had to meet the family yet. But she relaxed her preposterous idea immediately. After all, they were Touya's family, and would be an epitome of perfection.

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The morning was bright and mildly warm. If it held any faint traces of last night's sinister devastations in my life, it didn't show any. I held my head high, a degree higher than usual as if I was trying to brave my way through the university crowd in the light of yesterday's events. It suddenly felt that every one of these nimrods knew of the conflicting kiss I had shared with Li and were snickering inwardly. I shuddered as to what would be the repercussions if anyone came to know of the gross indiscretion I had caused.

Tomoyo would cheerfully bake me almond pastries and cheese fingers, no doubt. After eons, I had managed to make a notch for myself in the men's department and hand Tomoyo my life on a platter to scheme and tweak from now on. For a woman who was a self confessed expert in the matters of heart and confectionary, this was the opportunity to direct my love life as she would have it as. My Uncle, who had already observed me vaguely for my added clumsiness would be surprised. He would probably wonder when his prodigal niece had taken to a man more than an elementary particle.

I blew away a wisp of my hair as I trudged up the stone steps to the Sutton hall where today's discourse was scheduled. I looked at the papers listlessly. The half baked analysis work with treacherous doodles spilling out of it could damage my reputation in a moment. I made a mental note to not let my work be distributed to anyone today. Maybe Touya would not mind- Oh, who was I kidding. He would start searching for his eyeballs on hearing my confession, and hunt me down with his same bat for complicating his life thousand times over and later laugh his head off for kissing the stalker.

I had a strange vision of Eriol running pell-mell in the background meanwhile, exasperated with the madness that we are. Sigh.

Why? Why do I find complications irresistible?

"Am I a complication then, Kinomoto?" said a deep voice next to my ear. Instant tremors shot through me as I realized whom it belonged. I cursed him for the effect he was having on me and mentally made a note to carry a duct tape with me and strap it over my mouth when I began having conversations with self.

"Do you need to be sneaky even in broad daylight?" I countered coolly, increasing my strides towards the damned lecture hall.

"Touché. But I assure you, my intentions have always been noble." He said, falling easily in step with my pace.

Noble intentions? What was he? A god damned knight from the Arthurian realm? Next he would be talking of propriety, damsels and Melvin. And all that was absolute blasphemy spewing from his mouth.

"Which movie set did you escape from to come here and stalk me? 'Shakespeare'" I asked sarcastically as I turned left down the corridor. He smirked slowly as he turned to face me, effectively blocking my way. I frowned at his impudence and made an attempt to walk past him. He stretched a hand across casually and looked at me.

"Now wouldn't you like to know, Kinomoto?" He said in a gruff voice. I stared at him warily. Now Li and I had a bad history with propinquity. There should be a natural alarm which should throw us apart when we got so close to one another that I could see the flecks of gold scattered across his chocolate brown irises and the hair which fell over his forehead messily to-

.

.

Thud.

I looked down, thoroughly disoriented. My file was cluttered on the floor and the notepad was pooled at my feet. I lifted my head to see that he was playing with the loose hair that had tumbled down my loose bun. I blinked again. Did we just kiss-

"The Samurai's kiss of love" He whispered to me before pecking me on my cheek and taking off in the opposite direction. I stood still, taking in the full blown necking which had just happened between us. After a while I peered into the halls to check for intruders and slipped away, tucking the papers in my arms safely.

What can I say? That fool was one hell of a kisser. I blushed remotely as I remembered how he grabbed my lips with his and bit it softly-

"Sakura, Are you all right dear? You have been standing at the entrance alone for 10 minutes" My uncle's soft voice drifted down the room. I straightened myself and proceeded to walk towards the podium in haste, setting my hair discreetly meanwhile.

Damn Li for- err- for existing.

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**Author says: **All my reviewers' thank you! Honestly, I am addicted to writing this story for only two things. 1. My inspiration and 2. Your reviews. (Grins widely) So keep them coming.

Emerald Lady promises to not abandon you people for so long the next time.

**PS: Is it so hard to review, guys??? Are you boycotting me or something? :(**

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_**kiki fuji: **_ I am rather happy that you think I should make my original work but I also know exactly how pathetic I am. Still, I love stroking my ego! Lol. And sweetheart, as you must have noticed, I can't surface up in FFN to update my own story, let alone read yours. But rest assured, as soon as I am free, I WILL go through your work. Keep reading and reviewing.

_**AngelEmCuti: **_Yay indeed. And let me tell you a secret. They are going to be glued to one another for quite a while now. I am excited with the coming chapters for the sheer chemistry they will have. Hope you'll like them too. Cheers. R&R please.

_**krazypig91:**_ Glad you liked my story and the kiss too. I guess you are new to the LCP&L? Please do read and review my future chapters too.

_**Jadorelavida: **_Haha, that was exactly the feeling, I tell you. Only this time the pillow was the real Sakura. You have to understand that it was quite the rational thing to happen for a sleep deprived, clubbed to death and madly in love Syaoran. Lol.

Errm, Syaoran went hyper of the fantasy of is which came into reality out of the blue. (Sheepish smile)

Tada-Tadaaa. Sure Tomoyo and Eriol are flirting. They will be doing a lot more things in the following chapters.

So I hope you haven't written me off and will read this chapter too and grace me with your reviews?

PS: There is no way I can Make Syaoran read Fennyman. Maybe You can coax him? I keep telling him but he is quite the stubborn idiot, you see. (grins)


	10. Confessions

**Author's note: **I have had highs, I have had lows, I had my birthday and I had my mood swings. For some reason the three weeks I didn't update feels longer than year for me. Contemplative, isn't it? Well, life is like that. This update is for all my readers. Cheers.

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**Disclaimer:** Not that I am proud to say, but I do own Percy, his glasses and his tears. The rest goes to CLAMP.

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I eased myself down the chair I was sitting on and stretched myself languidly. My jeans crinkled slightly as I folded my legs across the floor and leaned back. It was close to 9 AM and the class was eventually filling in. The junkie guy in front of me was in one of his self induced stupors. I mentally reminded myself to poke him in the middle of the class and laugh my head off at his deer-caught-in-the-headlights expression. Usually, I would kick his arse for snoring like a whale. But these days, I felt like a bloody Norse god. I have this huge burst of hormones coursing through my body, giving me a constant paranormal high. Kissing an unarmed, flaky particle physicist does that to you I'm afraid. It also causes you to go visit your dreamland every 5 minutes, get obsessed with how soft the lips flow across yours, twirl and play with the gorgeous curls and simply put, wonder when you get to see her again-

I was distracted from my wonderland by a heavy breathing on my neck. It took me a while to figure that out. I stretched myself, wiped away any imaginary drool and craned my neck to look at the living vacuum cleaner at work. And that was the only heads up I got before 'it' happened. The last thing I saw before gagging and falling down on my head was this really huge pair giant grasshopper eyes. I yelled wildly, tripped on my own chair and landed on the carpeted floor, my cricket bat wound smarting all the way.

"Oww! Bloody hell, that hurts." I declared as I lay on the ground, nursing my poor head. What was wrong with people these days? Is there some subterfuge ploy planned by the universe to break my skull into two and make it a relic in the anthropology museum? First Kinomoto and now this compound eyed guy!

My dramatics had caused but a minor stir in the classroom. No, we fine arts majors aren't insensate. We are, in fact the plain opposite, the extreme theatric crowd in the whole university. Who's the girl who decided to go skinny dipping in the central fountain? A renaissance arts sophomore, because it was too hot outside. Who was the guy who streaked through the hall room of the juniors? A senior psychology student, as he wanted to gauge the reaction of the 'subjects'.

Such trifle incidents happen randomly and often. And they usually confer a cult status to the miscreant. So much is the popularity that even a visiting student like me is aware and awed. Awed because it does make sense. We are these barmy nutters in this whole campus of sociopaths whose extreme affinity towards sanity and love for burying noses into the books are countered proactively by our bouts of insanity. I call it the theory of nuttiness. It states that every act of intelligence is countered by an equal act of madness so the world doesn't spin out of motion. Imagine if every person on this planet was as brainy and a tad geeky like the Kinomotos? (Ignore the lad. He is a brat, nothing else.)We would have this world devoid of common sense, that's what we would have. They would say that love is a mere chemical reaction, Science fiction is only a long forgotten fantasy and aliens don't exist. That is the reason why the freaks and geeks co-exist. We complement them.

So naturally, a mere fall from the chair garners nothing more than an absent minded glance from the hobos. I sat up cross legged on the ground and fingered the bump gingerly. It was shrinking now. I raised my head wearily to see him 2 inches from my face again.

"Jesus! Quit shocking me will you?!" I hissed scramming backwards in mortal peril. After I was at an arm's length from the fellow, I peered to look at his shiny face. He was this average guy with not so average glasses thrust all over his face. That explains the engorged eyes effect he had on me. He was staring at me all the while in shock and naturally, that enhanced the size of the eyes too. I softened my glare when he cowered significantly under my gaze. For all it was worth watching, I didn't want him to piss in his pants near my desk.

"Who are you?" I asked, getting up finally. He mumbled something about being a student somewhere. I brushed that irrelevant bit of information aside and asked him what he wanted. Again, he mumbles. Great, I should have done a course in acoustics. I stared at him blankly to convey the same.

Squeak.

Did this guy just squeak? Last I knew, mice did that

"a – autograph" he spoke up finally in a shrill voice.

I got relieved. For a moment I thought his apprehensions were due to some non-platonic feelings for me. I held out my hand for the notebook. Only it never came. In place of it-

"Pink handkerchief?! Dude, how gay can you get?"

He looked away as a hint of blush crept up his cheeks.

And a complete ignoramus that I was, it struck me like a lightning that this man here was obsessed with me. With a clarity never before, I realized that it was his stare I had felt in the class always (I assumed it was some random girl), that he was the same freak who lived opposite to my dorm room. Yeesh, did he stalk me too? I was getting creeped out every passing second as the look of slavish admiration in him grew. We stood there, unsure of what to do for a couple of minutes. And then he spoke.

"S-Syaoran. I have worshipped you in your first performance in the "Shadows of Spring". It was entirely moving and I had tears in my eyes when you walked down the boulevard with your son. And since then I have watched your every movie. I was the happiest person when you decided to enroll here. I am really nervous, I never thought I could tell you this, but I- I really love you Syaoran Li!"

Silence.

I could feel every eye on the cozy confession scene up here. Everyone had been whipped up by a spell just at this moment, to my bloody luck. I felt awkward and like the world's biggest prat all at once. What was with my charm effecting at the wrong places? Suddenly I felt like this gay icon that had never existed. I wanted to pick up my chair and whack my head across it in a savage fashion. That would be easier than letting this insanely long second pass and hear the sniggers of my fellow idiots. I closed my eyes and winced prematurely for the harsh whip of whispers that would begin. Only, I was wrong, partially.

I heard a long peal of laughter from the front end of the class. It was incessant but unique. No one joined in or complemented it. I turned to search for the person who was enjoying the irony in my life so immensely. With every other trained at me, I had to figure out which one was not. Finally near the podium, wearing a sweeping long skirt and a hair bun with a pencil sticking out of it was Kinomoto.

"Oh my god! This is- this is hilarious" she exclaimed when her laughing took a respite. She wiped the tears away from her eyes as she began chuckling again.

I groaned, my frustration growing. What was she doing in the class? I thought she had long given up teaching as it conflicted with the god knows what research she was doing. What sort of a cruel fate had brought her here, and today of all days? She continued to laugh, unabashedly while all the other people respectfully stood still. Ironic that it was, her presence at least spared me from the other jeers and catcalls. I waited impatiently for her to end but what I heard was someone clearing their throat tentatively. I snapped back my head to see it to be the lover boy.

"S-Syaoran, I know it's out of the blue but I really love you. Do you-" There. I could hear the crisp snap of my patience. I walked one step closer to him.

"Out of the blue? It is out of the kingdom of heaven for all I care! You love me? What sort of twisted confession is that, you idiot? Do I look like some relationship jinxed fellow gay to you who goes out to the lonely hearts every weekend? If you do stalk my life, didn't you ever know that I was fucking straight too? What was that whole pent up frenzy you were throwing out at me, eh? How delusional are you exactly to do that in a fricking classroom and then expect me to respond to your proposal, for Pete's sake!" I yelled.

The silence had returned again. Kinomoto had stopped her giggles, I assumed. Again, the time froze for a moment or two when all people did was to stare at me and the pickled face. A small sound made me to peer at him. Tears streaming down his eyes, He was silently crying. This is ridiculous, if anyone should be crying, it should be me! What was he crying for anyways, did I father his child and dump him? He went on with his hysterics, causing a pool to form near his feet. I got blustered and walked a step forward.

"Listen er-, mate-" I began, unsure of his name.

"Percy" came the hurried whisper from the junkie guy. I nodded and continued.

"Percy, I didn't mean to err make you cry or something but I am-"

"Is there someone else in your life? Is it why you won't accept me?" he asked, in between his pathetic sobs.

I blinked at him wildly. This kid was insane. There was no possible way I could explain him that I don't get turned on by shiny faces and stubbles.

"Yeah, tell us why you won't take him!" a mousy girl goaded me. I stared at his serious face with a look of incredulousness. I could feel my temper boiling again and in a moment of indecision, I grabbed to the lone lifesaver I had.

"Yes." I said He looked at me confused. I turned away from him and sought Kinomoto. She was standing still, eyes widened at the sudden turn of events. Knowing what I was going to say, her eyes glared at me. She imperceptibly shook her head, warning me not to do that. I shrugged. It was not like I had any choice. For all I know, he could slit his wrists and write my name in his suicide note.

"You know I won't accept you,-" I said, walking down the padded steps towards the middle of the class room, towards Kinomoto. She was glaring at me wildly, her eyes panicking. She held her ground firmly but the last minute she lost her cool and tried for an escape. Too bad I got her wrist before she got the door knob.

"-because." I said, looking at her green eyes intently for a second before crashing my lips down to hers.

She tried to resist me as I dove head on into her softness but we both knew it was a futile attempt. Our kisses are addictive. And neither she nor I had the power to resist them. Her hand which had risen to push me fisted my shirt and pulled me in. And this time, I felt relieved to have her in my arms so I let my smirk pass. Rather I smiled into our kiss as it rose to frenching. The slow, languid open mouthed kisses were driving me mad. I grabbed her waist and bent her down slowly as I deepened our kiss. She looped her hands around my neck as she continued to battle her tongue with mine. I was lost in her, totally and completely. Her lips were swollen to my ministrations and when she bit mine tentatively, I lost every ounce of restraint I held till then. My desperation gave way to ecstasy when I felt her drag herself across my hips. But I couldn't help forget that where we were. And just so, with a huge remorse, I pulled my lips from her kiss slowly and let out a long deserving breath. Holding her hand in mine, I turned to look at our esteemed audience with a smirk.

Effing silence again. This class was going to be mute by the end of the day, at this rate.

And then it broke out. Full blown sobs and tears from whatshisname.

"I-I can't believe you-you did that. She doesn't even like you!" He wailed before diving into his kerchief all the way. As for the others, if there is an expression in which a person went from shocked to amazed to awed in a second, paste it to their faces. That's exactly how it was.

"That's a minor technicality that we'll sort out. Care to be the bridesmaid at our wedding?" I drawled lazily.

"Did you have to make him cry?" the mousy haired girl piped in, glaring at me angrily. What was she, his defence attorney? I rolled my eyes.

"Go cuddle with him then, pipsqueak" I retorted and dragged a still dazed Kinomoto towards the door. There was a reason why I could never complete college. I assume it was due to such incidents that I had the intuition to drop out beforehand. My mind was on an overload and classes could go to hell for all I care.

Of course I knew Kinomoto was going to chase me all over the university with a cricket bat and whack me out of my senses for spilling out our 'indiscretions' in a while. I also knew she would probably bury me alive for embarrassing her in the worst way possible. I had indeed promised to keep, what we had a secret because she feebly insisted she hated me. I had imagined us going public in a grand way, not in front of a bunch of utter idiots. But well, desperate times had called for desperate measures. We walked down the main square, hands still entwined. That meant she was still dazed. Now I know I am freaking god when it came to kissing but she was unnaturally silent. Her reaction time was never more than 10 seconds. I stopped to look at her. She looked at me expressionlessly.

"Kinomoto?"

.

"Kino-"

"You dolt, what have you done?" she shouted, raising her hand towards my ear. And just like that she held it and twisted it excruciatingly. If my ear had a mouth, it would be screaming frantically.

"Ow. Stop pulling my ear, mad woman!" I yelled. What was with her and trying to dismember my body parts one after another?"

Twist.

"Aaah. Fine, you aren't mad. Now let go of my bloody ear!" I said, wincing as I saw her relentlessly pulling it.

Another twist.

Heaven knows if I should term her as the frying pan or fire. She has the potential to be both and more, from what I get to see.

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**Author's note: **Should I feel good because I had to whine to get your reviews? Please review, guys. A small good job can go a long way, you know!

**Please, REVIEW! **

**

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**

_**Lex:**_ I hope not overwhelm you when I tell you that I cried when I read your review. Not that I am sob story anytime but sometime, things get best of you. And if the update you managed to do in midst of all the bedlam doesn't elicit any response, it makes you teary, you know. Just to let you know that you made my day. Please continue to read my story and give your inputs? I value them a lot.

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_**Krazypig91:**_ Ah, you stayed! I am glad you liked it. Any inputs on the storyline? Is it clear/messed up? What do you feel when you read the story? Please read and review too.

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_**AngelEmCuti:**_ Haha, love is a strong word for now, isn't it? (winks) you really think Sakura will ever admit it? Lol, love your reviews, always. Please continue them.

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_**Black Licorice Addict:**_ You are back! I missed you. So much that I stalked your profile and realized you were observing Lent. (Sorry for that) I really hold your reviews high, please continue to read my story and review?

_**PS:**_ I am dying to read your story but have been busy lately. It is on my should-read list.(grins)

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_**Sweetcandy90:**_ Lol, You like Eriol going crazy? Me too! Actually, I like making him go crazy, but like Syaoran says, it's a minor technicality. Glad you love the SxS moments. I work quite hard to make them. (Smiles) Please read and review?

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_**Kimmygoldenangel: **_Oh true, she is quite the feisty type. Appreciate your review, a lot. Please read n review my story?

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_**Jadorelavida:**_ You looked up for "Samurai's kiss of love"? And you actually found a samurai kissing a woman's image? Oh god! You cracked me up although I later did wonder if my writing is so incoherent. That was the movie Syaoran is working on right now. It was his answer to 'which movie set he escaped from?' question by Sakura. I can't help but giggle when I should be embarrassed that my readers don't get my flow. Lol.

She does think a lot, lol. Poor dear doesn't realize when her thoughts go to words (winks)

I have no clue on what he has planned up to impress her. Go ask that irate boy, I am done with his attitude! (smiles)

Well, for the abysmal response I get, boycotting is the only conclusion I could come to. And, err, sorry for a chapter that is not any longer than the previous. My brain stops working couple of pages of script. Hope it is steamy enough for (mysterious coughing of the authoress).


	11. Blue Cardboard and Red Pants

**Authors Note: **I have a note for my dear anonymous flame.

**Dear Dr. Particle Physics,**

I am amused at how you consider yourself to be the 'Particle Physics Police'. Let's just assume that you do, indeed posses the credentials to call yourself one. (I am being generous with the assumption. In real, I am itching to call you a pompous geek). Pray tell me, what are you doing patrolling among the pages of fanfiction world? Surely in all your enlightened glory, you must have read that this is firstly a work of fiction?

So forget 'deriving antimatter', I can fucking make my characters to live in black holes if I want to. So if you have got qualms regarding that, I will kindly tell you to back off. I also think you called upon this hostility from me. On a politer note, I'll tell you that the vague introduction on antimatter I provided in my story is a deliberate point which I intend to address as a future plot line so no, there won't be any 'revisions' as you have apparently decided.

"kids these days" ? So how old are you anyways? 30? 40? 50? And in any case, I can only imagine your life if you are prowling through FFN and flaming stories because, hey, they talk about physics!

Lastly, I wish that you would stop insinuating that people who aren't affiliated to you or your ridiculously trivial patrolling club as 'unintelligent dimwits'. Please, do burst out of that self contained bubble you are in, Oh alpha nerd of the universe. If you are really as brainy as you delude yourself to be, quit behaving as if physics was the best orgasm you ever had.

Amen,

Mystic Emeralds.

**PS:** I agree that the antimatter concept is fuzzy but you should have asked me, 'politely' before using endearments like 'you idiot'. Now, I don't think you deserve an explanation in any sense more than this. I think I was at my decent best, or the alternate response would have been "fuck off" (honest smile)

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**To all my other readers,**

I apologize for the above outburst. But I have a zero tolerance towards rudeness and people with bloated egos. Assuming that a person may have a reason to behave the way they are is what is called maturity. Assuming that the reason is only what you think it is vanity, something Dr. Particle Physics is capable of displaying in copious amounts.

Now before we have another "Cookie Makers Police" or "PR Managers Police" club forming here, I need to introduce this statutory note of caution:

"THIS IS ENTIRELY A WORK OF FICTION. IF YOU WANT TO BASE YOUR PHYSICS ESSAYS OR YOUR IMAGINATIONS BY THIS STORY, YOU ARE MENTAL."

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**Disclaimer:** All the characters except Percy Killington belong to CLAMP. And a delusional Dr. Particle Physics thinks physics is theirs. Go ahead and laugh, thank you.

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The afternoon had a soporific lull to it, fueled by the nearly empty staff quarters. I rustled my skirts to one side to break the monotony of silence. Finally, when I was going through the third round of picking the nonexistent dirt in my fingernails, the system console I was working on beeped to life. I jumped up with a start to view the output for the simulator reactor I had developed. The negative response frazzled me. What was wrong with the algorithms I had developed? As far as I knew, I had implemented the conditions perfectly. This project was going to the dogs by the looks of it. I stared at the screen with an incessant glare. After a minute, when it became clear that it would be as unresponsive as a fossilized mummy, I let out a long suffering sigh and walked towards the report files down the book shelf to debug the errors. It took me a while to locate the lab reports section at the bottom shelf. I was leafing through the last month's reports and in the midst of chewing my pencil when I eventually stumbled across an anomaly.

The particle masses didn't quite coincide with the radiation trails we had gathered. What was hindering them? Maybe we needed more momentum? A point I had definitely missed the last time due to err-certain distractions. But this time I would have no more botched up ideas and experiments. I stood up from my crouched positing and tidied up my dress. With the file in one hand, I walked towards my system, nose buried in the papers. Today, I mused as I skimmed through the analysis section of the report, Today I was going to lock myself up in my work space and work all night. Today-

Bump.

My files collapsed down the carpeted floor with a small thud. I closed my eyes and prayed it wasn't him. Not him, anyone but him. I didn't want Li here for another meaningless interaction between us. I was at my wits end in deciphering our largely physical relationship already. Heavens, be kind to me for once. I swear I will not bully the freshmen or the tarts at the admissions office, I promise not to munch through Touya's hidden stash of cupcakes at night anymore, I will not throw my uncles homemade crusts behind the potted Begonias, I will not-

"Make fun of Eriol as four-eyed freak?" came a lilting voice, whose owner I had mysteriously been too busy to meet all this week. I groaned inwardly. She was going to nag about me avoiding her and I would have to sit all afternoon describing my equation with Li for which the whole avoidance act was enacted in the first place. None of which was appealing to me right now. Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes and gave her my brightest smile.

"Tomoyo! How good to see you! I-"

"I know you are avoiding me so erase that plastic smile and-"

"Would love to sit and gossip with you about that new exchange American we have on campus but-"

"I also know you have been kissing Li all of the week and-"

"I've heard he is gay so drop your arsenal around him and-"

"That's after it makes it to the Blue Cardboard? I am deeply hurt and-"

"What!"

"What!"

"What?"

"What?!!!!"

"I am on Blue Cardboard?!"

"The hot American is gay?! What's wrong with the men these days!?"

"Err- Tomoyo, a little perspective here?"

"Dear sweet lord, I need to make him pay for my baguettes from yesterday! That smooth talking son of a-"

"Tomoyo! I have been flashed for bloody Mary Allen's sake!"

"..."

"..."

"Who's Mary Allen?"

"No one. Figurative part of speech, that's all."

"Not the sweater knitting home economics assistant you used to room?"

"Oh yeah, the same hag, I suppose."

End of the crazy conversation, part 1.

People who actually followed that twisted dialogue will be wondering what a Blue Cardboard is? Blue Cardboard is our own private hell, that's all. The student body organization chairs a group of eccentric hobos who were born in the sacred brotherhood of Pinocchio. Their excruciatingly long noses won't rest until they dig out the juiciest gossip ever and publish them. It is rumored that the page 3 and paparazzi wake up to our exclusive magazine every fortnight, dig up into the truth hundred times over and basically hound people to death or kill them with an overdose of publicity. Once you get flashed by the Blue Cardboard, the only option is to carry it all your life.

Like me. Oh my lucky stars, I was one of them. I must be the first non student entity to run up the front page of the Blue Cardboard. And in my fuck you speech, the first person I wanted to mention would be Li. Dimwit that he is, he had to go and pull up that audacious act in front of the loony arties. But oh, apparently, we professors get frenched by our students every day. No, don't mind me, I am a kissing doll. Come up to me for a necking session anytime. Best part of all, I do it for free. Damned addictive that he is, I can't even resist him and that manipulative doofus knows that. Inspite of the multiple warnings and threats I dole out to him on a regular basis, he had to go and blow our cover in the most extravagant way possible. What was with movie stars and publicity, eh? I hate all of them and most importantly their king, Syaoran Li. But what good is it now, I have been embarrassed, compromised and dethroned in my home ground. And that wasn't a comforting thought.

Not . One . Bit.

* * *

It was a boring afternoon. I was speeding down the countryside towards university after 2 terribly hectic weeks in London. I had spent almost a fortnight wrapping up a movie, attending talk shows, giving away exclusive merchandise for my forth coming movie. Working in a period film was exhausting. Luckily, my next movie was a light hearted chick flick. I had a mere blink and miss role which translated to an extremely light schedule for 6 heavenly months. Glancing occasionally at my rear view mirror for any trailing paparazzi, I coursed through the huge wrought iron gates. The loose gravel crinkled under the front tires of my car as I zoomed towards the residential area.

Parking my car, I lugged my baggage and was walking towards my apartment when I heard a loud wailing sound which happened to be my personal phone's ring tone. Yeah, I am a bit eccentric my own way. So after a second when I shrugged out of my surprise and fished out my blackberry, I was puzzled. Eriol rarely called on this number. The handful number of times he had called it was when there were-

"Syaoran, red pants."

-emergency situations we called under the code name of red pants. It may sound funny but believe me when I say that every time I have heard that word, I have only wanted to fist punch someone or tear my hair apart in frustration. Of course my dear mother prefers to call the same number insane number of times everyday but then again, she makes me do both at the same time. Red pants are a metaphor to say "mate, you are arse is going to be whipped by the royalty."

Now I had been on my best behaviors since months, right from the time I had known that Kinomoto was the girl. Not that I am an attention-seeking-drunken-brawl-stint type of person otherwise but I was real short on time to attempt anything so tragic. Between my crazy movie schedules and rest of the time spent in an ancient university chasing one particle physicist I was lucky I even got to sleep occasionally. What could Eriol possibly mean by calling me? Maybe he got eccentric than usual and decided to buy me red pants for my birthday? That or the idiot must have forgotten our code word or-

"Blue Cardboard has you and the Kinomoto girl's story on for print."

-I was indeed fucked up beyond recognition this time.

"Bloody idiots! How did it leak out?"

"We have luckily managed to get insiders dope so hang on-"I heard a furious ruffling of papers and a familiar sharp voice demanding the phone from Eriol. There was minor argument and Eriol returned with an exasperated sigh. I was inwardly relieved for not having to talk to 'her'.

"The name is Percy Killington. Apparently he got the news first hand but I think he is bluffing-"

"No." I said resignedly, churning the gravel with my foot as I leaned against the courtyard wall cursing my luck. Karma was getting back at me for all my past life's sins, I thought. Seriously, what were the chances that I had offended the crew of the Blue Cardboard with one harmless kiss?

"No? So you think he was trailing you unnoticed? –"Eriol asked in a rush. I could hear the furious scribbling of his pencil across the line. He was probably devising a damage control plan already. If only he knew what had transpired in the Arts 501 class last week. Fully aware of the after effects, I took a deep breath and proceeded to fill in my team with the one missing link of the entire scandal. And as expected-

"You _what_?" came the deadly calm voice of Eriol. At times like these, Eriol developed his own set of superpowers. The first was to go super calm that the opposite person would get racked up and try to end his life by drowning in a fish tank. He was, in the briefest description, eerily frightening. I tried to reason with him as smoothly as possible.

"I had no other go, Eriol. I was this close to being baptized as an ethnic gay in that classroom-"The rest of my explanation was drowned in an unnaturally loud and cheerful greeting. I winced even as she' yelled

"Xiao Lang!"

Meet Meiling Rae, my vivacious cousin and a natural PR manager. An expert in people's affairs and public relations, she was responsible for the image called The 'Syaoran Li'. No wonder she was seething mad right now. Oh, don't get misled by the affectionate greeting. That's Ms. Venus Fly trap's way to lure people out of their comfort zones. Since I was no stranger to her methods, I simply put the phone at an arm's length from my ear and proceeded to blink innocently at the passerby as her yells reverberated in the nearly empty courtyard.

"YOU IDIOT! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH DAMAGE CONTROL I HAVE TO DO NOW? WHY WON'T YOU JUST GO AND DECLARE YOURSELF A LUNATIC? WHO DO YOU THINK I AM, A FRICKING GOD TO MEND EVERY MESS YOU GET INTO? DO YOU EVEN REMEMBER THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE A SINGLE STATUS THIS WHOLE YEAR? AND YOU KISSED HER IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE? HEAVEN, DO YOU EVEN HAVE A BRAIN? – "

I squirmed uncomfortably as people started gathering around me now. By the looks of it, Meiling was in her full blown temper and that would take quite a while to blow off. I had certain chores to do meanwhile.

"- IT'S LIKE GOING SKINNY DIPPING IN THE THAMES IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, FOR PETE'S SAKE!-"

"MEILING!" I yelled, hoping to interrupt her rant. When the curses stopped abruptly, I let out a relieved breath and told her to call me in another 30 minutes as I had some urgent work to deal with.

"YOU HAVE WORK TO DEAL WITH? WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM DOING, YOU PIGHEADED JERK?"

"I LOVE YOU TOO, MEI." I shouted before hanging up the phone. Man, she could pack an earful. Hoping she would be sufficiently placated by Eriol in half an hour, I went to find Kinomoto. If I knew Eriol, he must have warned Daidouji who would definitely go and tell Kinomoto and I know for a fact that dear Sakura is one step away from turning into a schizophrenic person in terms of the rectitude she displays. This was way too big publicity for her to handle. And I was responsible for all this. She was going to whack me with a cane till I was sore all over. Or she would migrate to Siberia. Jesus, I had to do something before she went extreme. Now which bloody lab had she cooped herself in?

* * *

Tomoyo collapsed in the chair near me, sporting an utterly ruined and devastated expression. I wondered if she was sympathizing with me and my wretched life. Surely it couldn't be so bad. Ok, maybe it was but-

"They were 12 pounds of baguettes and muffins!"

Wait, Muffins? She wasn't serious. I simply stared at her, bewildered to do anything else. I was literally fucked up here and she was worrying about her muffins? The dumb muffins went higher on her priority scale than me?!

"OK, you are more important to me than a possible date gone wrong; stop that I-am-a-psychopath look. Mon Dieu, You pack the nastiest glares a woman could ever manage!"

I weakened my gaze and sank to the ground. The file I had dropped lay next to me, untouched. Like my plans today for self isolation. I stared at it for a while before coming to a conclusion. Today, I felt like giving up. I wanted to stop fighting whatever fates that seemed to have crossed my skies. The day I bumped into Syaoran Li, I must have irked some invisible fairy of luck. What did she do? She got nasty and snatched away all of my good luck. Nothing was going right. I was hardly working these days, neglecting my beloved physics like some long forgotten ex. I was suddenly in the middle of everything when all I want is my existence to be ignored like good ol' times. I miss the days when I could move around all over the university without eliciting an excited whisper, a glare or a murderous glance. I was falling for this arrogant dick head for no reason except for the fact that I am addicted to his kisses. Finally, instead of making it to the pages of the Science Frontiers magazine, I was on the infamous Blue Cardboard. What had I done to deserve this messed up life?

And as I was sinking myself into a self dug grave of criticism and depression, I heard Tomoyo murmur something vaguely.

.

"True, I never thought in that sense but cinnamon might just be the trick."

"Didn't I say so? You should listen to me more often."

"Technically, I listen to you all the time!"

.

I looked at her warily as she faced the empty chair beside her and continued the above conversation entirely on her own, nodding occasionally. Finally, when she managed to catch my eye I got a tight smile in return.

"Well, since you were carrying on a conversation with yourself so intently, I decided to go ahead and engage myself with me. Now if only I could join the conversation, it would be a joyous threesome!" she said icily. Her sarcasm, however vanished when I failed to make a scathing comeback. She kneeled next to me on the floor and squeezed my shoulder gently.

I gave a weak smile and nudged her hand away from mine. For some reason, I could feel my defenses failing critically. My own life was overwhelming me. It felt like I was sinking deep down and for some unknown reason, I couldn't fight back. I wanted to give up everything and shut myself up in some remote cave for life. I wasn't a sodden rag usually but now I was a hair's breadth away from spilling those treacherous tears. Eventually, there is only so much a girl can handle and today, Sakura Kinomoto's invincible armor of cynicism had managed to develop some major cracks. Someone had not only slipped past my defenses but had also rendered them useless. I thought of the unnecessary publicity I was going to hog, the loss of my precious freedom that would follow and the complications I had created for myself till now. The tears had started flowing freely down my cheeks as I looked away.

"Sakura, I know you are worried about all this publicity but it is fine. Eriol told me that they had already informed Li and I am sure they will find some solution. I think-"

"You know what I think, Tomoyo?" I said, in between my tears. Tomoyo shook her head wildly as she rubbed my shoulders awkwardly. Acceptable, as I hardly cried.

"I think that this whole affair with Li was a mistake, a big mistake. I was wrong to begin it, in the first place and also to encourage him about it. I should have known that our lives are insanely different and expecting us to have any sort of relationship which started off as something purely physical was another big miscalculation on my part. My aspirations, my work and my goals have lain forgotten since this whole- crazy thing has started. My life, it's –screwed up."

I broke down completely on her shoulder. Tomoyo held me close, whispering soothing words into the air as I cried my heart out. It felt as if all the complications were escaping from me finally. Every tear drop I shed made me feel infinitely better, letting in a tiny ray of hope as they trickled down Tomoyo's back. I don't know how long I cried but it felt like an eternity. And all the time, she comforted me, rocking me back and forth slowly. Eventually the crying reduced to sniffles. I had exhausted myself entirely and was slowly drawn into the familiar lull of Tomoyo's murmurs. I felt drowsy and tried hard to stay awake. But sleep came over me like a warm blanket and I welcomed it gladly as an escape from this tortuous reality.

The last thing I remember before drifting off into sleep is a faint odor of musk and mint in my otherwise sterile lab.

* * *

**Author says:**

I must tell you that this chapter was the first part of the original chapter I wrote. I was nearing to the completion of it when I came across an idiotic review which sort of spoiled my mood. Also, I think the continuity would be more sensible that way. Emerald Lady will update soon.

**PS: The next chapter will have a surprise twist, any guesses?**

Also I appreciate every one of your reviews, dear readers! Thank you for adding my story to your alerts, favorites and honoring me with your attention. I hope you will continue to read this story and grace more reviews to it.

**REVIEW, PRETTY PLEASE WITH A CHERRY TOP?!**

**

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**

_**Kimmygoldenangel: **_Kimmy dearest, thanks for your reviews! They always light up my day. I am sorry for the delayed update (busy with work lately) please read and review?

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_**Black Licorice Addict:**_ Guilty as charged. Please don't kill me, not with the cricket bat atleast. Lol, Sorry for going to the extremes but I really really adore your reviews, so I had to see where you had disappeared. Poor Sakura indeed. Thank you for your wonderful reviews. Hope you continue to read and review my stories,

Mystic Emeralds.

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_**Nicks08:**_ You liked my story? Wow, relief! Especially when stupids like the Dr. PP comes down to flame down this story, I appreciate my new readers who go on to say they were addicted to LCP&L from the start.

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_**krazypig91: **_Haha, Oh I could kiss you right now. I am particularly in a vindictive mood on happening to encounter my first flame and you review makes me go wild. Glad I could surprise you wit Percy. (He is quite a guy, don't you think?) True their kisses were getting way too addictive. Sorry for the break in this chapter though. I promise the next chapter will be worth it completely.

Tomoyo and Eriol will be a much needed couple to my plot, I confess. But you will need a little more patience for that. You see, they are not your average couple. Add to it Tomoyo's flirtatious charms, it is going to be a while before they even get together. Hope you will continue to read and review my story, as always. I love and value your reviews a lot.

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_**AngelEmCuti: **_I hope your pity for Percy will vanish with this chapter. After all, he made my beloved heroine cry! But if you do sympathise with him, then oh well. I can't have them all (mock sigh) lol. Love love and love your reviews. ^_^

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_**cielito lindo: **_I am so glad you are back! You were being stalked by me along with _**Black Licorice Addict**_. Now, my only hope is I don't get chased down the alley by both of you with clubs and cricket bats. Lol, glad you love the story. Please continue to read and review?

PS: what happened to the hotel lifeguard? (did I get the spelling right? Update soon!

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_**Nims Dias-angelovdarkness: **_Thank you! Oh, thank you for those beautiful reviews. I am glad you like the story and the style too. Sorry for the late update but hope you haven't given up on me already. Read and review, please?


	12. Exposed!

**Authors Note: **I realize I haven't updated in months and I am sorry for that. Please don't be hard on me and continue your tryst with my arc lights and physics spin-off? And if it is any consolation, the delay was unavoidable. On a brighter side, the chapter is the longest I have written (and will write?) and quite the quirky one. Hope you like it. Also, I want to thank all of you for that terrific show of support on that flame for the last chapter, especially **cielito lindo, , Nicks08** and** Blissful Delight**, **krazypig91. **You guys are awesome! Arigatou!

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**Disclaimer: **No, they aren't mine.

* * *

My mother, on her death bed had held my hand in a vice grip and mumbled in a dysphonic sermon two advices for life. The first was to always, always and always use saffron and mint in deserts, they are a Daidouji trademark. The second was to never forget the flawless poise and élan which was another prerequisite for a Daidouji. Glacial storms, kitchen emergencies, garlic breath, blizzards, stalkers, bankruptcy, all have tried and failed miserably to wreak my composure. I never panic, period.

Deep breath and repeat again.

I, Tomoyo Daidouji, will not panic.

Inhale.

Exhale.

.

.

Fricking pansies of Belfast! I have a deeply neurotic and hysterical friend who cried herself to sleep in my lap in a haunted laboratory, my pencil skirt looks like it is going to rip out any minute, this stupid furnace styled room is stifling me and Eriol won't lift his cursed phone. _Mon Dieu! _Should I attempt to drag her across the campus in a wheelbarrow or wait till a search party tried to find us? Maybe-

.

"You!"

* * *

I was walking alone in a gigantic castle which was surprisingly empty. The chambers were without a trace of dust, the silver armored knights were gleaming and the banisters were freshly waxed. I flitted from room to room, hoping to see someone. At one point of time, I even heard a swish of a cloak from the far end of the hallway I had entered. Wondering if I was having hallucinations, I finally wandered towards the magnificent ballroom. The floor was paneled beautifully with mirrors and-

"Why am I wearing this outrageously yellow ball gown?" I exclaimed. When the answer came in muted echoes, I felt a tad foolish for throwing a question in the air. Perhaps one of those knights could answer my rhetorical query, I mused.

"Or perhaps me?" came a suave voice from the center of the ballroom. I looked up to see a debonair Syaoran Li, his steel grey cloak billowing in a theatric effect. I smiled graciously and walked towards him.

"I knew you would find me, Syaoran." I murmured as I leaned into him. True, I was a whole inch shorter than him and my crinoline was making it hard for me to get closer to him but none of it mattered when I found his lips to steal a quick kiss. I blushed at my impromptu actions and drew back when I noticed that he was frowning. A frown which made him look like a pug nosed reindeer. And I don't like pugs. Or reindeers.

"What are you doing Sakura?" He asked in a low rumble of voice which ricocheted of hidden desire and restrained passion.

"What does it look like to you, Syaoran?" I answered slyly and twirled his impatient locks languorously with my free hand. "or would you want to take this somewhere else?" A deep crimson blush crept past his neck. It took him a while to gulp his trepidation down and gather his voice. I smirked openly at the effect I was having on him. He brought his hands to pull mine away and took a deep breath. What I heard the next minute made my smirk duly vanish.

"No. I mean, of course yes but not this way! Not when you seem to seem to be out of your god damned mind!"

"Excuse me?" I said coldly, inching myself away from him.

"Exactly! What's wrong with you? Which clichéd fan fiction story did you read before getting knocked out that we are in this elaborate world of medieval castles and stuffy cloaks? And why are you throwing yourself at me like an imbecile barbet? I thought I had met my share of such demented woman in my career already!"

He stopped in the middle of his idiotic rant to muss his head with an exaggerated display of frustration. I merely blinked at him in an unfocused manner at his outburst. And as I processed the shock inch by inch, a nagging voice was growing louder in my head every passing minute.

"You are not the Sakura I know and least of all, not the Sakura I love. The woman I am head over heels for is a genius in particle physics, a woman so real that it is refreshing to even be around her, a woman who can swear magnificently even in Yiddish!" he exclaimed, grabbing my arms roughly and shaking my twice over. Did he intend to rattle the cogwheels of my brain? But despite my resistance and disbelief, the fog was clearing the way out. I faintly remembered swearing in Afrikaans. And physics?

"And most of all, she refuses to give me any credit to my so called image as a reigning movie star but indulges me enough to start anew." He finished, looking into my eyes which blazed with an unknown streak of determination. There was a chatter of voices in my head now and were slowly converging at a vague recollection in a seamless flow. I held my head and tried to walk away from that ludicrous rabble but he persisted.

"And if you could brave me all this time, then how could you allow a kid rattle your nerves like that? Surely I am more a pain in your arse than him, don't you think? I never knew you cared about silly magazine covers more than people. My persistence seems to have gone down the drains today. Why, It was pathetic seeing you bawling your eyes out on the floor, like a-"

Crack.

I never knew what I was being compared to, for right then I gave him a slap that would bruise red blue and black immediately. I was seething with rage. Anger was coursing through me faster than blood and I was itching to rain blows at him. The nagging voice turned out to be my long lost conscience and it sent wave after wave of memories to liven me up. The nerve of the arrogant snob to ridicule me! How dare he- wait, what was with that smirk on that insolently handsome face?

Mildly soothing his smarting cheek, Syaoran smirked even wider if possible and continued staring at me. When I returned it with a glare of my own, he let out a sigh of relief.

"So now that you are cured of your dementia, I think you should wake up." He said in a strangely gentle voice. As he neared me, I tried to back away instinctively. Reading the wary expression in my eyes, he held me and looked into them.

"Easy there, tigresse. Your knight here will keep you safe." He murmured, his warm brown eyes filled with reassurance. The mirrors everywhere were sparkling with an increasing intensity now and I was close to getting blinded. I held his arms in mild panic and tried to tell him that it was not making any sense, not yet.

"I don't want this, Syaoran. I am not- not ready… yet." I whispered.

"Somehow, I knew you would say that." He said, with a trace of forlorn hope crossing his face. And maybe that I was sitting in an emotional bedlam but I felt guilty on being the reason for that it. It's not that I see him losing hope any time. Rather I often wished he wasn't such an incurable optimist about me.

"Trust me, will you?" he said as the room opened up to a dazzle of bright streaming light. I stared at him in confusion as his body opened up to scattered chunks of radiance. He was fading away into a brilliant glow of white luminescence. I tried to hold onto his long armed sleeves but he pried it away from my hands slowly. Which creep tells a corny dialogue involving trust and fades away into oblivion? I got frustrated at him slipping away. He couldn't leave me to handle this mess, alone. What happened to knights in shining armors?

"Syaoran!" I growled menacingly as he vanished away. And with him went all the light in the room. The mirrors seemed to be broken under my feet. Cursing him and the mankind in general, I tried to grope my way through the dark. Did this castle even have a door or was I caved in for life?

* * *

Men are such flobberheads. Stay with them for too long and they shine their everlasting beacon of stupidity on you like a spotlight. _Naturellement_, my crazy friend and an idiot extraordinaire has had her share of those incandescent moments with Li. But it still surprised me to see her so comfortably asleep in his arms. Every living minute, she swears his head off and the moment she sleeps she snuggles to his chest and murmurs cozy words? She lives with denial as her alter ego, this girl. Moi, I would never cuddle up to a man in such a feminine gesture! _Les choses que je fais pour son! Et elle-_

"Daidouji, which way?" came a gruff voice ahead of me. Syaoran Li, my friend's sex god boyfriend-in-making. How he managed to track us in that obsolete laboratory is beyond my imagination but I will be eternally grateful to him for preventing the impending rip of my Chanel pencil skirt. So he hauled Sakura in his arms in a revealingly _délicat _gesture and I delegated myself to showing him a short cut through the rear of the campus towards the Kinomotos residence as he requested. Privacy seemed to be a moot point now, no? Oui, and I asked him that. And I got a very enlightening answer in the form of a noncommittal shrug from him. What can I say, he is quite the charmer. So the mini procession marched on through desolated buildings, deserted corridors and nifty shortcuts. He took the lead, with a stoic expression which was too morbid for me to familiarize with. She was only asleep, not concussed and bedlam was she? The Joan of arc expression was unnerving me. I followed his long strides with difficulty, contemplating over his insensate attitude. Something was odd, now. Eriol always assured me that Li was not the guy to be bogged down by anything in this world but today he was more sober than The Queen. What would make him-

"Daidouji?"

"Over the bend. You'll see the cottage." I replied as I maneuvered myself over particularly nasty creeper. And just like I said, we reached her place in a couple of minutes. I skirted round the gate to open the door with the spare key stuffed beneath the Petunias. He followed me wordlessly and laid her on the couch in the drawing room. I settled on the coffee table and looked at him rest her noiselessly. She seemed to clutch his shirt and grumble something but he shrugged it off effortlessly. And when he was done, without a glance, without even a word, he walked away!

_Merde!_

I nearly stumbled as I ran behind his disappearing form. I had a nagging suspicion on what would come next but I wanted to dismiss it as easily as it had flitted across my mind. It couldn't happen; I had faith in this man.

"Li!"

He stopped in his tracks but didn't turn around. And for once, I hoped I was being a pessimist and his sullen mood had nothing to do with-

"When Sakura wakes up, tell her that she's right, will you?" he said as he eyed me soberly before walking away. His gait was so unnatural that the alarm bells started ringing in my head. The forced determination he enthused was unsettling. Maybe I should just wait till Sakura; she was the key to-

Sweet lord! He must have overheard Sakura's emotional outburst. And there was only one conclusion I could muster as I watched his retreating form down the pathway:

Li had just given up on Sakura.

* * *

I felt miserable and absolutely wretched. Onscreen, it is much more chivalrous to be the selfless soul and give up an unrequited love. The clichéd scenes which tell that 'true love is letting go' are troll. In reality, letting go is like having an empty oxygen tank in a deep sea expedition. Every breath is painful and if you can't swim fast enough to reach the surface, you die. But I also know that though chasing a butterfly is a fun, the moment you catch its wings, it will never fly again. What more, the velvety touch of its wings will be forever imprinted on-

* * *

When I was a kid, I aspired to be a PR because it sounded fun, controlling people's lives and manipulating them. I was what you call a natural-

Sure Mei, you are the perfect bossy, dominating control freak who-

_SNAP_

"Oww! Woman, you just stapled my hand!"

"Quit being a wimp, Eriol and let _me _do the talking here! That's your phone flashing by the desk by the way."

-natural manager. So it was no surprise that I went on to be a PR for my cousin Syaoran Li. The best decision he ever made was to recruit me on his team. And-

That's only because you have never let him make any after he took you-

_SNAP_

"Sweetheart, what happened to your phone call?"

"It never rang- I mean, I will go and call Tomoyo now."

"Always the sensible one, aren't you Eriol?"

-And I must tell you that he is going to make his worst today. Syaoran Li, in a word, is an idiot. He is more impulsive than a toad's tongue looking for a fly. But the worst part is when he decides on a harebrained course of action and brings us all down to go with it. And when he does that, even I can't bully him out of it. Like the time he decided to fly to Cannes incognito and ended up being locked away for 24 hours as a terror suspect. I remember circling embassies to get him released and then another field day covering it up from the media. Not to mention he missed his own premiere and-

"Mei !"

"Eriol, You are really annoying me now! Do you want me to staple your mouth as well because that's what-"

"No, I just had a talk with Tomoyo and apparently Syaoran is playing the martyr. "

"Are you sure?"

"Complete with grunts and frowns and sober smiles."

I would love to continue with our chat but I have an emergency on hand. Occasionally, Syaoran gets sucker punched to the world of reality and when that happens, he goes and becomes a tragic martyr wallowing in a melancholic gloom. The effects aren't permanent usually, it's more of those acting genes of his which stage a presence now and then but you never know. And although I am not sure if he takes Gandhi or Napoleon for his inspiration but that phase usually starts with talking in ridiculous metaphors (Only, he thinks they are poignant and veiled.) and ends up with him actually taking a foolhardy decision to torture us all. I wonder what he'll make us go through today.

"I hope he fires you."

"That. does. _IT_!"

_SNAP_

"It was a joke!"

_SNAP_

"Mei, Put that darned stapler away or I am going to get a restraining order on you!"

* * *

-because that way both the grasshopper and the alarm clock would lose their point of existence. I mean if the minute's hand is me and Sakura is the hour's hand, I would be nothing less than a flitting grasshopper in the garden of life.

...

Oh you might as well let it be. Mei always says that I become obscure when talking profundity and I must restrain from blurting it out loud because people don't understand the heavily veiled metaphors. I am not sure if she really means that, though. But the conclusion is the same. When you see a woman practically cry her eyes out at the prospect of having me in her life, even as the most inconsequential part, it takes the fizz out of your cheery optimism, you know. I- I made a mistake when I thought she was in denial. It's me who's been in one, for so long that I took it as the truth all this time. Funny eh? Couldn't recognize my own symptoms and rather ended up tacking imaginary ones on her. Well, you can't make someone like you now, can you? And she was not entirely off the mark; I did make her life miserable. Killing her aspirations and meddling with her lifestyle, I feel wretched altogether. I never knew I could be this absolute rot of a person. Did she really mean all- all what she said? I would take a hundred blows on my head with her cricket bat if she denied it. Sigh, but she won't. And so I think, rather I reason that I should be out of her way.

It makes sense.

Girl hates boy.

Boy stays away from girl.

Girl happy.

It doesn't matter if boy is miserable or if he loves girl.

And now, I need to fix up an accident before I go home. I have had enough of this university, its geeky students and snotty brats, its obnoxious dean who aims to garner publicity by marketing me like a new investment and its female professors for whom I end up wrecking my life. Syaoran Li is a an actor and will be one always, a trifle heartbroken from today on but nothing a mug of whisky or a dazzlingly fake smile can't fix. My mom, for just this account, can go to hell temporarily on a short trip till her senses come back. Now where is that pug nosed gay freak who set up this catastrophe in the first place?

* * *

"Syaoran, I don't think it will work. And worst case scenario, he could go and use that as a leverage against you."

"Eriol is right but if you manage to pull it off, it would be fantastic. And that way I'll get time to pull some dirt on this kid and dent his credibility so he can't try the stunt again-"

"Mei, we don't know if he would even agree to our proposal leave alone you mudslinging him to-"

"But Eriol-"

I sighed as I heard them banter over my idea. Typical Eriol-Mei mix up. Normally, I would zone out till they rubbished me entirely to dictate their own plan or on rare occasions, conceding the thought to me. But today, I was not in a mood to listen to anything apart from my own dictums.

"Mei?"

"That guy is in love with Syaoran, for Pete's sake! Who else to make him see sense than Syaoran, you idiot?"

"Eriol?"

"Mei, we might as well be cautious when dealing with-"

"SHUT UP!"

"…"

"..."

"Good. Now, I do appreciate your ongoing debate which I am sure is in my best interests but I am done here. I think this is the best option we have and I am doing it tonight."

"But-"

"Not-"

"And that's all set. You people can bicker later. Mei, you know what to do?"

"Call the press to Da Vinci's after Eriol gives the nod?"

"Perfect. Eriol, you'll know when I tell you. Just make sure to get the snaps before they notice it."

"Got it. Are you sure you-"

"Later, Eriol. Later."

* * *

The mild showers we were having all afternoon were finally cleared to make way for a gloomy sun. Blanketed by foggy dark clouds, it hobbled uncertainly, peeking occasionally through the curtained windows. The dust beam through the ray of light settled on the olive green carpet right next to me, on the floor. I curled further into the couch and stared at those tiny specks of random particles sifting to and fro, only to be interrupted by a sudden clearing of the throat. I peeked through my blanket wearily to see Tomoyo looming over me.

"Hi." I said finally, when she refused to get bogged down with my indifference. I cringed visibly when all she gave was a curt nod and settled in front of me. It was starting to annoy me now, her apathetic attitude. And this was from yesterday. Sure she had stayed and watched over me till I woke up, prepared a light meal and stayed for the night when she realized that there was no one at home but it was all in a stiff cloak of formal humaneness. I know I love to pity myself sometimes but she was doing it better than me, albeit with a heavy dose of cynicism. Queerly, she was neither walking away nor was she acknowledging my presence. And self righteous isn't exactly how I would describe Tomoyo.

Not to mention that ever since I woke up, my head was in a complete mess right now and I didn't appreciate the idea of sanity or logic even approaching it. In an almost puerile fashion, I wanted to blame the tragedy called my life to Syaoran Li and stick to that statement for eternity. In that bizarre dream of mine, the dream Syaoran in encountered had understood my reluctance and even agreed to it. He felt so- so real and alive when I held him…

So why was I feeling like a complete jerk? I did the right thing, didn't I? So what was this miserable feeling creeping everywhere? And where was the actual guy in question? Surely he wouldn't miss a chance to pester me-

"He won't, anymore."

"Huh?"

"He will not bother you, Syaoran I mean. He's gone."

"Ah, another movie? Finally! Strange he never mentioned it-"

"…"

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Because you have the thickest head in the world!"

"Wha-"

"Listen for once, Sakura. You always hear, what you want and when you like. So now, try to melt that impregnable fortress of yours and let this get into your head because I am not going to try to make you see sense ever again. Li is gone. And by gone I don't mean away from this closeted world of your university but from your life. In all probability he heard your impromptu wailing in the laboratory and convinced himself that he is the reason for you going hysterically mad. If only he could consult me, I would have told him plainly that you are a neurotic _mélange_ of a personality anyway. But now that guy decided to end this soap opera _you_ have been directing all the while and go back to where he was. Oh, and just so you know, he did quite a show yesterday night. When he really didn't have to, least of all, for you. But he did and things are all fine in your rosy world now. Now if only you could stop acting like a fragile glass doll and straighten your head, you will see that he did love you. If it didn't matter to him that you are a physics nerd with unkempt hair, I don't see why you need to be a Barbie doll and keep shouting hoarse of your apparent incompatibility with him."

I stared at her, gaping like a goldfish. My mouth opened and closed on its own accord a few times. I felt small and worthless under her writhing glare. Bravely, I tried to speak something, anything but instead a strange squeaking sound escaped through my mouth. My indignation at the baseless accusations she had hurled at me and the meek self justifications I could think off, all ended in an empty gasp. And while I expertly mimicked a distressed goldfish, Tomoyo took the lead and dropped a rolled up magazine in my lap.

All the impulsive questions which were at the tip of my tongue dissipated when I saw the nasty blue gloss. The Blue Cardboard, freshly printed, straight from my very own personalized hell and absolutely free.

After a long sigh, I unfurled it tentatively, expecting to see a glossed up picture of me and Syaoran in one of those 100 compromising positions. Instead, it had a shirtless Syaoran with his trademark smirk.

_Syaoran Li's biggest secret – Cover Story._

Something was wrong. Why would they miss a chance to put me on the cover when I was the secret? I flipped through the pages rapidly for the article in question. The centerfold had a bigger picture of Li along with-

_Li pampers his gay fans!_

"Percy"?

"That's right. Percy, not _Sakura_"

I jerked my head up in confusion. It didn't make sense. The tip off was that me and Syaoran would be exposed. So how did this miracle happen overnight? I looked at Tomoyo's smug face with bewilderment.

"But- But it was to be me. How-"

"He coaxed that jerk to lay off you in return of a glitzy dinner event with him." She said with an air of faked nonchalance but I could tell that there was a hint of pride in her voice when she said that.

Holy mother! Tomoyo was right. I skimmed through the article in haste only to see that I was not even referenced. The whole 4 page article spoke of a candid interview of the Syaoran Li by a gay fan over dinner at one of the swankiest restaurants in London. I let the magazine go and sat up with a start. It was over. He had indeed taken his job as the knight in shining armor seriously. And that's when I could finally recollect the whole dream, his warm words of reassurance, his carefully masked despair, his promise to be my knight and his last words.

_Trust me._

Suddenly, it was all clear. The supposed dread on being compromised in a scandal and the expected relief on it being averted had all disappeared. I felt cold and extremely miserable. Something elusive was sitting on my shoulder and gnawing my head away all this time and I only realized it now. True I was also extremely embarrassed at the prospect of facing Syaoran after all this but better that than let him go.

I looked up to Tomoyo in a silent plea of understanding. She stared for an eternity before letting her guard down and slumping beside me.

"There is thing about you Sakura that makes it extremely hard for me to stay mad at you." She said finally, giving a small smile of acceptance. I hugged her tightly and blinked away my tears. She returned it with the newly thawed affection but pulled away suddenly.

"You know what to do now, don't you?"

I nodded and got up in a burst of energy. The fog had cleared away and I was done being an idiot. As I stepped out into the sun grinning foolishly, I couldn't help notice that life was perfect, again.

* * *

My head was being thrashed with a huge hammer and I couldn't even lift my hand to swat away the obnoxious person doing it. I groaned and tried to turn away but the brutal clubbing persisted. I slipped deeper into the covers but now the ringing was accompanied by a shrill voice.

"Syaoran?"

I groaned and muttered a feeble go away before trying to sink into the underworld. But cruelty got redefined when the life saving covers were pulled away to leave bleeding to death. The harsh light pierced and punctured through my eyes and I prayed to rather go blind when it was replaced by a shadowy silhouette for an instant. Because the next minute, I felt a warm weight sheath me and a sudden intake of breath.

I tried to get up but it was like my sensory system was on a holiday. It took quite an effort to open my eyes, groggily. It was a woman looking at me with a somewhat familiar smile. I peered at her curiously. She had green eyes. Green and moist eyes, looking back at me apprehensively. I frowned as I tried to put it all together. She was too close, closer than-

* * *

I tiptoed into his room and peered around but he was nowhere in sight. His luggage, however was scattered around in the hall. The bags were packed haphazardly with clothes spilling out of them and there was toothpaste spread across the carpet and one of his shoes. I cringed at the possibility of encountering a drunk Syaoran and walked into his bedroom gingerly. My whispers elicited no response so I tried to push the curtains away to find a way through the chaotic mess. Finally, buried under coat hangers and crumpled jeans, I spotted Syaoran's hand and pulled away the covers. The relief on seeing him was indescribable. The empty feeling coursing through me since yesterday had healed finally and I knew why.

I was in love with Syaoran Li, his kisses, his whacky love notes, his stalking syndrome, his smile and him. And I said just that before closed his lips with my own.

* * *

"Syaoran?" she said as she hovered over my face. Her body was flush against mine and it was tantalizingly soft. My hangover was disappearing already and I squinted to see this woman draped over-

"Sakura?" I yelped. I was pathetic. Now I was starting to hallucinate over her. I was clearly living those stupid dreams I fantasize about, again! I needed treatment and some good sleeping pills to avoid this tangle of ideas, illusions and dreams. I-

"I love you." She said before closing in for a sweet kiss. She tasted minty and fresh. And it was not until she held my face hungrily and nibbled my lower lip that it registered to me that she was real. I opened my mouth in shock but her tongue found mine in a desperate caress. That was when I let go of my rationality and grabbed her waist to haul her closer to me. I didn't know why or how we happened now but she was here and that's all what mattered.

Reality sometimes does get better than your wildest fantasies.

* * *

**Author says: **I again hope that I have not lost my readers for time I took to put this chapter up. But then, I promise the remaining chapters will flow swiftly. Thanks for putting the story alerts and the favorites.

**Pinky promise.**

So what did you guys think of this chapter? Reviews my dear readers?

**Pretty please with chunks of chocolate coated hazelnuts!**

So, Reviews anyone?

**Alert: Date: July 1st 2010. **

I am really sorry but I realized I had some minor corrections to make, nothing life altering though.

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_**Baey: **_I totally get you, no issues. However, I must add that I am not really proud at that puerile outburst but well, tempers run high. (smiles) Do read my story and review.

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_**kiki fuji: **_Thank you ! Please continue to read and review? Arigatou!

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_**Nicks08: **_I know it was sad, couldn't help it. Hope this chapter livens you up! And thanks for the support against the douchebag. Muah!

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_**Nims Dias-angelovdarkness: **_It was short I agree! Sigh, I guess I lost the inspiration to write. Does this chapter compensate the length? Please read and review!

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_**Blissful Delight:**_ Agus-chan, I love you. That was such a comforting review. It really encouraged me, thank you. The incident is well in the past now, thanks to readers like you. Please continue to read and review? Love you!

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_**Singwithme: **_I love you already, stalker (huge grin). Please read and review?

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_**AngelEmCuti: **_Glad you gave up on Percy. (winks). Sakura is back to form here so hope that cheers you up. Please read and review, you are my favorite! ^_^

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_**krazypig91: **_I get your point. But then it was intended to be a filler and I lost the motivation to finish it. Hope this chapter is liked by you. Thanks for sticking for me. I appreciate it!

PS: I love you too ! (smiles)

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_**cielito lindo: **_If I was anywhere close to you, I would have hugged you tight and never let you go. You motivate me and boost my confidence only a way a gal can expect her best friend to do. I owe you a lot, my soul sister!

When you said I was a Shakespeare meets a modern Jane Austen, I was embarrassed and flattered at the same time. And although I am not anywhere close to either of them, I will definitely try my best to get atleast a notch closer!

Thanks for being there for me! Please continue to read and review?

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_**Prademist: **_Thank you for the review and the hazarded guess? I am sorry for spinning it off slightly different but Touya won't marry anytime soon nor can Sakura and Syaoran be able to stay away from each other for long. (grins) Please continue to read and review!

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_**Black Licorice Addict:**_ I am glad my story save my arse then. (Smiles). I am really embarrassed at that apparent eloquent rant. (deep blush) let's just say my temper got better than me. And thanks for reading and reviewing my story, I think real high of your reviews. Do continue?

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_**kaoru-is-hikarus-world: **_Aww, now don't pull my leg. I get touchy when it comes to flames (winks). Please continue to read and review?

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_** lil . ramen . lover : **_Chances are there indeed. Please read and review?

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_**agate. ilie :**_ Glad you read them all. So here is another chapter for you, hope you like it. Please read and review?


	13. Because unicorns have silver hair

**Author's note:** Ta-daa. I'm back! (nervous grin) Anybody home? Somebody? Onebody atleast? Sigh, I hope I have my readers or it would be so sad to wallow in unfair loneliness. But I am back with a bang so please don't abandon me yet, please? Arigatou

And for those who are interested in knowing exactly why I left you guys stranded, I went for a road trip and enjoyed it thoroughly. True, I could have updated meanwhile but I was focused entirely on gaining a new experience and it left me little room to work on LCPL.

As always, reviews and comments are welcome and help me become a better person. (smiles) Happy reading everyone.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I want to own a new laptop, sigh. CLAMP owns all the CCS characters, of course.

* * *

"Tell me, O dear cousin of mine, if it was Grandma Li who taught you to drive?"

"By _drive, _do you mean to keep the car on the road within the human visibility standards or cackle in glee and zoom past hapless pedestrians in a batmobile-esque fashion, Meiling dearest?"

"Douchebag!"

"I am not really fascinated with the undead philosophy of life, thank you."

"We'll be fossilized at this rate!"

"Stop hollering in my ear!"

* * *

I stared at her incredulously, as I lay sprawled on the threadbare carpet and nursing the rising bump on my forehead as she sashayed in front of me, fuming and ranting. Well, if anything, she deserved to be mad at me. Bollocks, ruining a moment like that-

Guess I will get the you-are-a-prancing-prat award after all.

Why?

_Because._

_Because_ I was on an all time high, drugged and in the sparkling world of awesomeness.

_Because_ my senses went on an overdrive. Wherever she touched, raw electricity coursed through my veins.

_Because_ when she looked at me brightly, with an expression so sure and real, my abysmal bout of numbness got cursed to extinction. I raised a hand tentatively, still wondering at the surrealism of the situation that I was in when she dove in for a kiss.

_Because_ I would be the biggest idiot in this world if I called it a mere kiss.

_Because_ it was the unholy mother of all the atomic bombs and hydrogen bombs in the world, the twang of eating thousand acid drops at once, the elation of tapping open all the crème brûlée in a restaurant, a thousand suns dancing together around the Earth, The smooth slurp of a fondue with the cheesiest cheese, the smile Mona Lisa never smiled.

_Because_ it was a riot of the senses and I am surprised I didn't die of sensory overload. Instead I did something utterly moronic.

_Because_ when I pulled her into the kiss, I never meant to let her go, honest! She was soft, like a sponge cake. A rather delicious one, I thought as she let out a small gasp when I had flipped her over to savor her tantalizing neckline. I was tonguing her earlobe and she almost squirmed under me when I began wondering if she was even real (Yes, I'll take the victory lap for being a dunce, thank you). Maybe it was a result of getting hit by cricket bats, kissing PhD hotties in my sleep and getting shrugged by the same, nursing the meanest hangover yet and such. So when she whimpered a low moan as I nipped that deliciously sensitive spot below her left ear, I snapped. My brain started to have these weird conversations inside.

"Way to go, Alpha man. You world of illusions spins some real neat creations. And graphic too. Never knew you would be such an obsessive pervert!"

"Illusion? She practically flung herself at me. Why would-"

"Yes. _Because_ that is the sanest thing Kinomoto could ever do, transition from hating your existence to declaring her love for you overnight. Sigh, Syaoran, have you gone bonkers finally? The real Kinomoto would be fast asleep in her house being guarded by her French bulldog of a friend."

I was trying to hush up the annoying argument when she found me distracted enough to flip me and straddle me and kiss me. Long and hard. Gosh, that would be so hot if not for all the petty voices-

"Petty? Now I sound petty for trying to remind you that you are going from PG-13 to R with an IMAGINARY WOMAN!"

"Well, if she is not why is she responding to , ermm, everything I do?"

"_BECAUSE_!"

"Oh, you mean, I am conjuring up all of this so she is pretty much doing what I want her to do? It's all me?"

"Glad you didn't sleep through Inception."

So her kisses were trailing southward and her hand was poised delicately over my zipper when I sat up in a daze, knocking her to the down. She responded with an equally dazed and somewhat nervous look.

"Syaoran, Wha-"

I sighed and flicked my hand in the air. "You are a figment of my imagination, again."

"What? I am a … what!"

"I keep imagining you, Kinomoto and I seem to get better every time. Only the last time you were real. But well, this time was a long drawn shot. I heard you bawling your eyes out yesterday so maybe my senses went on an overdrive and flipped your character completely to-"

I never got to finish my rather useless dialogue as she jerked the sheets underneath me and I tumbled to ground as an aftermath.

And she landed on the ground in an extremely angry and entirely unladylike stomp and proceeded to write a dissertation on why I am entitled for lifelong flogging and-

"-And probably lather you in napalm and then drown you in a burning pit of lava. Oh yes, and the drag your sorry arse all the way to hell and back. You," And she turned to jab her finger into my bare chest viciously. I winced but that simply escaped her attention. She was busy glaring at me, you see. "Syaoran Li, have some nerve," another jab. This woman has some bizarre ability to pound a man to death through extremely creative maneuvers. "To call me a … a '_figment of your imagination'! _The gall to declare me, Sakura Kinomoto, the best brains around this country in a long a time as a mere figment of your bland,tasteless,unoriginal imagination ? So what? Do you go around kissing pillow covers and imagine them to be the woman you want frolic on the bed with? Do you? DO YOU!"

And that brings us back to where I started. On how I should get going to the World Prat association's award ceremony. Sigh.

* * *

"We reached. Hallelujah! And look, I am still alive! Miracles never cease, don't they." Meiling snapped as she practically threw herself out of the car and glanced around.

"Glad to escort you, as always" I sneered, equally sarcastic and flipped open my phone.

"Are you calling the folks back home light years away to see if the world as moved on to the next century peacefully, she sugar-smiled at me.

I gave a saccharine frosted grin and pulled out my phone impatiently to call up Syaoran. A minute later I stared at it, feeling utterly betrayed. Why did his phone keep asking me to give a voice message for him and where the bloody hell had he disappeared to, to not take my call! What was the sinister motive in asking us to come and help him pack up when in reality, I am stranded with catwoman and he is unavailable! I wanted to go to the nearest tree and my bang my head against it. Meiling was already in a nasty mood, what with taking the dent-to-Syaoran's-privacy as her personal insult. Add to the fact that she was nowhere close to figuring out how the gossip had leaked out in the first place. And now my ex-best friend/cousin/client had ditched me with her. For the love of Michael Jackson-

"Eriol!"

She was my angel, I'm sure. How Tomoyo found me, I have no clue but I was glad she did. Her presence diluted the comatose wave of sarcasm around me. I smiled to pull her in for a hug. And on cue, the sunshine faded as suddenly as it arrived. The next minute, Tomoyo did the unthinkable.

"Meiling Rae! Heavens, you are gorgeous!" She beamed as she hugged my enemy no.1. Meiling on her part graced a smile I never knew she was capable of and returned the hug warmly. I was staring at their emotional exchange wordlessly. Where were the allies and the reinforcements?

"So how is it to be the douchebag's girlfriend, hm?" She asked Tomoyo in a mock whisper. I rolled my eyes.

A tinkling laughter and two more punch-lines-which-involved-me later, they walked away towards the Kinomotos, chatting like long lost buddies and leaving me stranded at the car.

Sigh, did my girlfriend just fraternize with the enemy and flush my pride down the kitchen sink along with potato peels and bits of ginger?

* * *

I meekly replied to her, in the gentlest possible voice I could muster that I had never tried to make out with a pillow to which she threw me another volcanic look which was spouting acid and fire everywhere.

"Then why did I get the lone privilege of being classified as a 'figment', eh?" and she resumed her vicious poking like she never stopped.

"…"

"Well, let's hazard a guess here. _Because_ you normally date ickle blondies with peanut brains and it is beyond your belief that women have grey matter?"

Poke.

"I- no-"

"_Because_ li'l Syaoran down there gets antsy at night and has to be treated to imaginative figments of the girls you stalk?"

Poke.

"Oww! I-"

"_Because_ you think I am some sort of fricking tease anyway?"

Poke.

That was it. I could stand her finger molestation anymore. I caught her hand and pulled her close. And my frustration was bursting at the seams when I went ahead and said it. The most dreaded line in the history. The single line that inspire countless movies, random murders, tuxedo rentals stores, free gifts on packet of crisps at supermarkets.

"_Because_ I love you!"

"Interesting theory, that one. So the people you love are figments of your imagination, then?" She asked in a deliberately nonchalant gesture of leisure. I stared. That's it? That was all the reaction I got for making the confession of the century. Oh no, I wouldn't let her do that. So I glared. She held the gaze and continued to mentally burn my eyeballs. Ouch.

"Yes."

She started and confusion washed over face. Hah, finally. Her stoic and impassive countenance was unnerving me.

"They are when they declare to the world that they hate me, Kinomoto." I replied quietly. Her eyes flickered with relief and surprise. I moved closer to her and cupped her cheeks in my hands. "Last I knew you were hiccupping yourself to sleep and declaring to have nothing to do with me. I know it was partly my fault and partly that dumb kid's. But I saw to that, didn't I? It took a lot of persuasion from my team but we did it. You are 'safe'. So what changed? Why aren't you a _'figment of my imagination' _as usual?"

She broke the staring contest and gulped nervously. Slowly she reached up to hold my hands. I felt a balloon of ecstasy rise in my chest when her small hands ensnared mine. For an entire minute, there was silence. And then I think I heard something, very low and soft.

"… _because_…"

"What was that, Love?"

"_Because_ I love you too, you dolt! Now stop grinding me with emotional torture and just kiss me!" She said exasperatedly.

And when I leaned in to take her kiss, I swear I could hear the violins in the background.

* * *

Tomoyo, I discovered as we walked towards the Kinomoto's residence, had an innate evilness about her when it came to meddling with people's business. I could almost see her, in regal splendor as she sat on her high throne and peered through her futuristic telescope into people's dreary lives, then take her wand and splash some color to the otherwise boring picture they made. She was just recounting on how Sakura had gone to make up with Syaoran and I listened in awe. She was my- my soul sister, I think. Amazing woman!

And it was at that moment I heard a sharp rush of crunching sound coming down the gravel path. We turned to see a silver Ferrari, hurtling towards our car. I rolled my eyes at the ostentatious display. Who drives a silver Ferrari now? And just like that, in the most clichéd color coded format ever, a gravity defying tall guy with rippling '_silver'_ hair got out of the car and came our way. I stood warily on the porch as he greeted Eriol. And as if that intrusion wasn't enough, Eriol went ahead and introduced us too. Why, in the name of the devil, did he assume that I would have anything to do with this poncy jerk of a unicorn?

"Miss Rae, charmed." He said suavely. I wanted to roll my eyes to the end of the world at his clichéd gentlemanliness.

"Go charm your head too. That way it will stop glinting in the sun"I piped, hand perched on my hips.

Tomoyo gasped, Eriol banged his head to the wooden fence and silver Santa merely gave a supremely indifferent glance. I felt uneasy around his unruffled demeanor. It was quite uncommon.

"Name calling can be quite unpleasant, Miss Rae. Especially if it is hair color subjective. I am sure Lady Hellfire won't suit you too." He bloody-smirked.

My audience was now equipped with eyes as wide as saucers and following our banter quite diligently. I frowned. Meiling Rae, the queen of sucker punches just got the meanest comeback ever. Who was this guy anyway? And as if he could read my mind that instant, Eriol stepped in between our I-will-smolder-you-to-death glares. He pulled me back, towards the safety net called house.

"Meiling, this is Mr. Yue, Touya Kinomoto's PR." Eriol said with an exaggerated hand gesture. That was an Eriol trademark. Get him into a highly strung situation and he went crazy Italian with his hands till he wearied himself out or dislocated one of his shoulders. And usually-

"Wait. Yue! Oddly familiar. I am sure I heard his name somewhere. Just the other day when I was working on a media event for Syaoran. Or was it at the Dustin Whitefield Film festival. Or- Oh heavens, why can't I remember-"

He coughed dryly and I snapped out of my internal dialogue. He looked at me with an irritating sense of superiority. And obviously the maddening gesture again. The hair flip. The Hair Flip! Oh sweet elephants on rampage!

"You!" I growled. Eriol tried to edge between us as a human shield but I pushed him aside. He didn't know.

"Eriol! Stop being a prat and let me go. You don't know this vile creature."

"Mei, I am sure there has been a misunderstanding somewhere-"

"Bollocks. He is the same guy who pulled one over me at the Briana Everton project. This vile man here is the reason why Syaoran lost the project to Touya Kinomoto! And don't you deny anything; I have seen the video in which you got all cozy with Everton after the Dublin festival. It was grainy, yes. But I will recognize that stupid flip of hair from any length!" Eriol looked confounded and lost.

"You mean he is the reason Briana insisted that she was done with the casting when we went over to pitch in Syaoran?" he muttered after a while.

"And also the reason she said _'I don't think Li is the young blood I need for my script, darlings. I am looking for someone with a different psyche.' _Psyche, my foot! She was merely snared by the fanciful person in front of us." I fumed.

And holy mother, all this person ever did since I exposed his cover is to peer at his perfectly manicured fingernails. I wanted to launch myself on his head, pull his hair, shake his crazy composure and kick him to Iceland. So when I finished my rant, he looked up as though he wanted to know if it would be sunny day.

"Firstly, Miss Rae, I never _'got all cozy'_ with anyone. If by merely stating why my client would be a better choice than yours I changed the casting crew's decision, then maybe your team isn't competent enough."

Eriol glared as he pulled me back from assaulting him physically. Do anything but do not question the efficiency of the team in front of it's workaholic and obsessive manager. I smirked as I could feel how tensed Eriol's hand was from where he was restraining me. Meanwhile, Santa had coolly walked up to the mantelpiece and deposited a sealed package and glided back to us. Tomoyo stood bewildered at the whole exchange and followed his movements from her frozen pedestal.

"Also, the casting had indeed done by the time you arrived to meet . We were having a congratulatory party when you arrived." Eriol opened his mouth but Santa beat him to it. "Yes, I was there at her summer mansion." Eriol merely gaped like a goldfish and looked away angrily. And as for me, I felt I was standing in front of my nemesis. The one person who can match your move to a better one always and makes you feel like shit later, the one who doesn't allow you to save your face and spout a decent comeback. So we simply glared and cursed and fumed while he turned to walk away. Mid way across the garden, he turned and smirked.

"It's been a long time since I met a woman so feisty, Miss Rae." He said with an easy glance. "I am indeed charmed."

And that was that. He walked away. I spluttered at the gall of a man who had sunk me into the ground 6 feet deep and smirked his way through it. Eriol continued to stare and project some astral vision into space probably. And Tomoyo-

"Hah"

Hah. A very dangerous expression. It is the cross between I-know-something and you-are-screwed-because-of-that. I turned and looked at the woman I had hazarded to call my soul sister a while ago. Hazarded because she had a cleverly concealed maniac expression about her which was entirely unsettling for my nerves.

"Hah? Why did you hah?" I asked but my intuition had the answer already.

"_Because_ he likes you!" She said gleefully and I felt like puking my brains out. Soon those gears in her brain would whir madly to concoct deadly ideas to throw me next to my arch-nemesis, the poncy unicorn with silver hair.

"Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrgghhhhhhhhhhh!"

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**Author Says:** Reviews please. I am sure there are other ways to punish the Emerald lady for her procrastinations and unforgivable delay in updates. But she will wilt to death without her beloved reviews. So,

REVIEWS, MY PRECIOUSSS !

(The author apologizes for her obsession with LOTR and assures that it will only last for a couple of years.)

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_**Vreni:**_I am glad you reviewed at last. Update soon? (cringe) I hope you didn't write me off! Thanks for your review.

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_**Lhaine07:**_Haha, glad you liked the chapter. Shoot me a review if you are still around in the fandom, will you?

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_**EchizenRyoma: **_Aww, I hope this chapter lightens your mood better than the last. Please do read and review?

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_**NimsDias-angelovdarkness:**_ I like your reviews (hugs) But I may have just written this chapter shorter than you'd like. Review if you still believe in LCPL?

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_**Blissful Delight:**_ Lover dearest! Where art thou? Lol, thank you for your beautiful review and hope you continue with reviewing this time too. (Nervous fidgeting)

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_**lighthouselullaby13:**_ Thank you ! Read and review as usual? (:

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_**Nicks08:**_ Thank god you liked it and I know it got confusing at times. I edited it later, hope that made a better version! Thanks for the advice. Please review ? Pretty please?

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_**Sammie-Wammie:**_ Aww, Thanks for liking my story. Review if you still like it, won't you?

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_**AngelEmCuti:**_ Wow, glad you liked the chapter. Hope you'll like this one too, hmm ? Reviews please (:

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_**Black Licorice Addict: **_Sorry I haven't updated for long. But that was not as top secret stuff as yours, don't worry (wink,wink). Read and review, will you? (gosh, I have the audacity to rhyme!)

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_**aRIssA-sHan: **_Sweetheart, you just spoil me rotten. Inspiring a person and making them laugh is serious business and I am glad I did it. However I am not sure if I want your brother to be at the receiving end of my curses, I can get quite imaginative at times (winks). Hope you are still around and will read and review and make my day, as usual. (:

**_PS:_** Merde is equivalent to 'Shit' in French. (;

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_**MisakiXSy: **_Sorry for the delayed update. ): Hope you do read and review!


	14. I love Potatoes, you love Fudge!

**Author's Note:** Voila! I updated. And I think I have a _teensy_ crush on an awesome guy at work. Cheers!

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**IMPORTANT: **This story is now coming to an end. (Gasp, I know!) I will be winding it up in another couple of chapters (I am thinking of ending it at 17) So please check out this space regularly, I will be putting up a poll with the next chapter and some other details are on the way. Arigatou.

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**Disclaimer:** *Boring monotone* I do not own Clamp. *End of boring monotone*

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"Have you ever looked at a braised potato close enough, my boy? Seen its deep brown coloring, crisp and colorful? And then, when you break it open, have you seen how the insides are cooked all tender and soft. A bite of smooth goodness and you feel like closing your eyes in the sweet delight that only a potato can give. It stands out amongst all its companions, the caramelized onions, bits of thyme and essence of garlic. The raw, unbridled wholeness of a potato is something you savor with each bite. I would say that potato is perhaps the most under appreciated thing in the history of mankind. It is attached with a mere commoner's tag when the succulent goodness goes beyond that. What do you think, Son?"

I stared at the man, utterly bewildered. What did I think? Why would I have to think anything about potatoes? I think of Sakura, soft and pliant in my arms who, for a change is not a figment of my imaginations anymore. I think of what all I can do to those gorgeous lips of hers when she is in my arms, I think, a lot, of those legs that go on forever and which she hides beneath those ghastly skirts of hers (not that I would, ever, tell her that!). And finally, I think she had conveniently forgotten to mention her uncle's obsession with potatoes when she invited me over for dinner tonight. I understand the man has an IQ beyond a lot of people's imaginations in this part of the world, but that surely wouldn't validate his obsession over potatoes, for Christ's sake. I stared at him cautiously and paused amidst serving myself salad.

"Err, I think it goes well with bacon?"

Kick.

I groaned inaudibly as I nursed my shins. Sakura always had a good aim when it came to me. My eyes watered mildly with the pain and gulped water as I caught her glare. This whole dinner thing was overwhelming me slowly. I wonder why I agreed to this in the first place. And I saw the reason sitting right across me, munching the Caesar salad cheerfully while she went around kicking people under the table like a bloody ninja.

* * *

_**Earlier in the day…**_

I leaned into her, nuzzling her neck slowly. She was raking patterns in my hair and sighing. Her mere presence was sensuous. I brushed her hair apart for deeper access when suddenly a loud sound rattled my brains. I jerked away and looked around frantically. Whatever was that clanging sound-

Her silent giggles distracted me. I looked at her suspiciously. It wasn't beyond her evil brains to purposefully lull me into her and then jerk me off abruptly. It was her trademark actually. So when I continued the stern look, she stopped her laughter and held up her hands in mock surrender.

"Alright, it was me. It was a new alarm clock I purchased and I wanted to try it out."

I stared at her. She either thought it was funny or hadn't completely relinquished that sadistic streak of hers. Why else would anyone schedule their snogging sessions with their boyfriend? Stress can unhinge people, I know but she was too young to go insane. After a long hard look, I sighed. She was so cute when she was oblivious to reality. I pulled her close once again, where it felt right and explained patiently, like you would explain a three year old why dunking orange juice in the toilet is a bad thing.

"that was not funny, Sakura. You have to stop doing that-"

She pulled away and looked at me quizzically.

"Who categorized it as funny?" She asked, ducking to retrieve her bag. "I really meant for the alarm to go. I have a meeting at 6." She stated, slinging her bag and standing in front of me with hands on her hips. I looked at her incredulously.

"You just timed our make out session!" I all but screamed. She was toying with me! But all I saw was a valiant effort to contain her mouth from quirking upwards. The nerve off this woman! I felt cheated. She pulled me into her and closed my frown with a kiss.

"The pout it is then, eh?" she asked, nibbling my ear softly. I groaned loudly but didn't say anything. She pressed a long kiss again.

" Syaoran, you know I really need to be in this meeting. It is crucial for my research."

"And here I am, after cancelling all my schedules for a complete week just so I can be with you." I grumbled, while she played with my hair.

"Ah, well. I'll have to make it up to you then. How does dinner tonight at my place sound?" She asked, smiling mischievously. I arched an eyebrow and looked at her questioningly. Sakura wasn't those female vixens I have seen all my life. She rarely bothered with sly undertones. So when she called the shots for dinner at her place, I was left to wonder what had gotten into her. Yes, her curses were no longer directed at me anymore, except in moments of exasperation and I could trust her with a cricket bat around me but this was not her. Surely she understood the meaning of inviting your boyfriend for an intimate dinner? Besides she wasn't just the type to plan an elaborate wine and dine to jump into the bed later, it was too twisted for her liking. She just asked for sex if she wanted it. That was the simplest thing for her usually. Not that I would mind being pampered once in a while.

"Are you sure?" I asked, doubt gnawing at me. Or maybe it was my empty stomach. I wouldn't know.

"Absolutely." She said and slipped from my grasp and turned down the corridor. I leaned to the wall and grinned. Like a complete idiot.

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_**Later...**_

So imagine my surprise when I turn up for dinner that evening with a bottle of Dom Pérignon and I see Professor Fujitaka instead, his bald head shining and his portly figure wrapped up in a pink 'Best mom ever' apron. I struggled to form a coherent thought and gaped at him. What was he doing-

"Ah, Syaoran! Do come in. Sakura mentioned that she had invited you for dinner. I am so glad you could make it."

I gave mute nod and looked down to see that I was clutching the bottle of wine like a lifesaver. Loosening my grip, I held the bottle up for him to see like a nervous 5th grader on Valentines day.

"For us? Oh, how generous of you. Aren't you going to come in?" He asked, stepping aside uncertainly. Obviously he was as perplexed at my behavior as I was with his presence. He hustled over to the kitchen boisterously, humming to himself. I walked in slowly and saw Sakura grinning like Satan incarnate as she stood over the table and expertly tossed the croutons across the salad bowl. Finding my feet, I walked over to her and whispered furiously.

"What sort of a joke is this?"

She looked at me innocently and continued to toss the contents of the bowl. "Why, I don't see the humor in having dinner-"

"Why?" I hissed. Her insouciance was getting to me.

"Well, I thought I would tell uncle about us and what better occasion than dinner-"

"WHAT?"

"I would have told him myself but that would be inconsiderate for you-"

_"**that**_ would be inconsiderate, really?" I shot back, implying as much sarcasm I could muster. "How about telling me your plans instead of big fat surprise falling on my head from the sky!"

She set down the bowl and went around the table to grab the salad dressing.

"Don't be daft, Syaoran. Obviously you would back out if I warned you before, wouldn't you?"

"I- maybe. But that's not-"

"I thought so too. Now quit being a wimp and help me set the table."

"I can't-"

"Sure you can. The knives go to the right and the forks to the left-"

"I meant the conversation. I don't know-"

"Nonsense. All you have to do is make some polite conversation and smile normally, unlike someone is torturing you. And then when that lull comes in between the meal, you can pitch in and say that we are together. Simple, yes?"

I stared at her and nodded wordlessly. Where she got the inspiration from to hit people straight on the face and smile as they sag and fall down, I wondered as I observed her stealthily through forks and spoons. A tsunami wave? A Walmart salesman? A Rottweiler? How about all the three rolled into one? Somehow, even that dreadful combination paled in front of her.

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_**Now...**_

So I winced as I crossed my legs away from her reach and took a sip of water again, conscious of the old man's gaze on me. My brain was in a frenzy. What was politically correct with potato connoisseurs?

"Excuse us for a minute uncle, Syaoran promised he'd help me bring in the desert." Sakura said tartly as she scraped her chair and stood expectantly. I stood up and followed her against my intuition, excusing myself from the table. The minute we were in the kitchen she whirled and inched towards me.

"What do you think you are doing?" she said in a menacingly low tone as she clanked pots and pans to give us some time. I shrugged.

"I am trying my best to maintain my remaining sanity around your potato obsessed uncle." Surely she couldn't expect that it was normal, did she? Which sane man tenderly stroked potatoes while he ate them?

"Everyone has their quirks and so does my uncle. I don't see why you need to be so difficult when all you have to-"

"Difficult!" I yelped. "I am flabbergasted. How on Earth do you expect me to behave when I have no fricking idea on forming a coherent response involving potatoes?" I whispered back as I nicked three spoons for the fudge and turned towards her. She settled the dish aside and turned her gaze towards me.

"It isn't any easy for me either when you rant about your unholy love for chocolates?" she asked sharply.

I frowned. That was low, snake belly low. How could anyone compare sinfully rich chocolates with a sack of muddy potatoes? How would the decadence infused in chocolates be in the same league as the bland existence of a potato? And I said so.

She raised an eyebrow and glared at me. "They are either sweet enough to kill people or just the right amount of bitter to make people crazy. They kill your teeth and make you an addict. It stains your clothes and then your mind. You lust for those stolen bits of indulgence and then add another half an hour to your morning workout to reduce the fat they sneak into you. Frankly, it tastes and looks like mud or dirt across a racing track."

"That was love which you described then" I retorted while my mind tried to wrap around the idea she had of my dearly beloved chocolates.

_Stains clothes and mind?_

_Tastes like mud?_

She sounded insane to me. I could take on anything and almost everything but nobody insulted chocolates in front of me. I sulked and sulked when she finally nudged me.

"See, it's the same for him" she said, pointing across the hall. "Humor him. A few sentences won't kill you. Besides, he really adores you." I raised an eyebrow at her revelation. She huffed and continued. "Fine, he likes you. I told a lot about you already. Now will you man up already?" she fumed.

"Only if you accept that chocolates are the best things that could ever happen."

"Nonsense. Physics is the reason humans were created."

I rolled my eyes. Of course. And I was a three headed monster, I thought inwardly. But well, who would want to convince her otherwise? The last time Eriol hazarded a confession of his apparent ignorance of the subject, she had treated him to a 2 hour discourse on how his life would lose its meaning if he did not remedy it soon. Now a wiser person like me would merely nod, and head back to the dining room to opinionate on how a potato revolution was in order if we wanted it to be taken seriously. Honestly, the crazy things we end up doing in the name of love. And speaking of crazy, I wonder how Mei was doing. Last I knew, she was fuming over some silver haired jerk she had met.

* * *

I took another shot of vodka as I waited for Eriol to arrive. Bloody arse, He never made it on time. How would he, with his ancient driving and his rulebook of speed limits in a city like London. And I get to be the sitting duck for all the greedy beavers in the pub. Joy and Cheer, I mused dryly as I gestured the bartender to refill it. If he thought I was drinking too fast, he didn't say so. I gulped it down and pinched my eyes. The alcohol swept through my body in a binding rush and I felt the familiar sensation of soaring in the clouds. What was the occasion, you ask? None at all. Here I was, getting irresponsibly drunk while my enemy was orchestrating a massive damage control. His repeated digs at me and the sneakiness with which he had attempted to undermine my client was something I couldn't forget. So I did the reasonable thing, under the circumstances. I retaliated. And the petty war of words had developed into a fully fledged war now. He stole away the schedules I had booked so I made his magazine spreads look clumsy in front of mine. He took a dig at Syaoran's career graph and I 'accidentally' leaked to the press that Touya Kinomoto had sprained his ankle badly and was condemned to bed rest for 6 months. Obviously the media and producers had gone berserk and I sat back, celebrating my latest win.

Take that, you silver mane weirdo, I smirked triumphantly to myself while I downed another shot. People around me began to look at me wearily. I nodded clumsily and reassured them that it was natural for me to talk to myself all the time. That scared them even more, I think. I fiddled with the strap of my watch as I swiveled on my chair. Loud music was pulsating down the dance floor. I nodded my head to the heady rush of adrenaline, the rush of giving Yue dearest a bloody mean bitch called payback. That would teach him the consequences of messing with a pro, with a person like Meiling Rae.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, Miss. Rae." Said a deep voice beside me. There was no mistaking that voice or the name I was referred as. Even through the haze of the alcohol, I could feel the prick of my senses on a high alert and red lights spinning around my head. I narrowed my eyes and turned to face the devil. He sat there, nursing a glass of champagne with his regular mask of infuriating coolness in place although I could see it slipping every now and then lately. It felt vindictive that I could unruffled him like he had tried to, the first day we met. I flipped my hair back in an aggravated gesture of indifference as I surveyed him.

"Sure is the only thing I am these days, Mister. You, on the other hand seem to be woefully behind in client history." I replied, watching him sport an imperceptible frown as the statement hit the mark I had intended. He was struggling to maintain his calm and I loved snatching that infuriating control of his.

"Perhaps you have come here tonight to see if I know more. How about Touya dating Li's sister secretly from 7 months?" He merely frowned and emptied his glass. Feeling reckless than ever, I leaned forward. His ridiculously silver hair glowed in the dim setting of the pub. I muffled a giggle and continued.

"It should be so stressful for you, being on a need-to-know basis. You wish your client trusted you more, don't you?"

He growled as he snaked over my wrist and pulled me near. I met his gaze levelly and looked on. Nothing could stop me in my intoxicated state or was it his compelling gaze.

"Meiling Rae, you are the most aggravating female I have ever known, let alone crossing my path and challenging me. What transpires between me and my client is something that you don't want to bother about, believe me. Another transgression on Touya's personal life from you and I swear, I am going to go no holds barred in this ridiculous battle we are into. Don't underestimate a warning when you see one. I am tired of your-"

"You are tired of my what?" I yelled, pulling my hand from his grasp. Some nerve he had, telling he was tired of me as if I was just another annoying bint he roamed around with. "Excuse me for clarifying but you have no hold over me. So take back your feeble hints of chauvinism. I can spot an ego-king from miles and you are the biggest of them all. And if you want to give up, just say so, wimp! Growling and threatening like a Neanderthal man will get you nowhere. Go to-"

I never got to tell him where to go because he leaned over suddenly and kissed me hard. The taste of alcohol mingled freely between us as he pulled me in harshly and swirled my tongue with his. If I was shocked, I never got near that emotion because my senses were entirely distracted for the moment. I closed my eyes as kissed him back fiercely as he went deeper and deeper-

And I pulled back. It must have been voodoo. Or black magic. Whatever that had possessed me to allow this monster kiss me. I breathed rapidly as I blinked, trying hard to regain my bloody common sense. He stared absently as he mulled over it too, probably. Then in a fluid moment, he got up and looked at me. When I finally met his gaze, I could see the omnipresent smirk on his face. I groaned. He was going to goad me about it forever.

"I sure hope that kiss got me where you planned to send me, Miss. Rae." He said, his eyes challenging me. What do I say; he always had the meanest comebacks.

"You wish." I muttered, staring at the floor gloomily, hoping it would swallow him down. Or maybe I could dig a hole right here and shove him into it. That was appealing, I could scrape it with my bare hands if it was for him.

"As always, a pleasure meeting you." He said, chuckling and walking away. Two steps away were Tomoyo and Eriol, gaping like a set of blubbering goldfishes. Spectacular, I thought. They saw my act of self destruction too. Fricking idiots had to arrive at the ruined moment only, I noted sorely. They took a seat across me and I almost unwillingly dared to look up, only to see Tomoyo's eyes lighted with sparkling excitement and Eriol, clearly amused sat with a sardonic gesture of wickedness. After a minute of silence, he ventured cautiously.

"So-"

"Before you say anything Eriol, think hard. Think if you want to have your innards in place and your balls in one piece. If you do, we are never ever going to mention this- this madness again, understood? It was a one time exception, an aberration. So we behave it never happened. Makes sense, yes?" I finished, glaring at them. However, they seemed unaffected my by threats. Maybe being drunk took the sting out of my curses, I mused. Still, Eriol shrugged and let it be. I was about to let a sigh of relief when Tomoyo came forward and unglued her tongue, which was stuck all the while, apparently. I wanted to run away or burn my ears with an acetylene torch. Anything for not hearing what she was going to say next. Anything to put away-

"You enjoyed the kiss didn't you?" she asked in a mock whisper as Eriol stifled a laugh and looked interestingly at the fish and chips at the table. I knew she wouldn't heed to me. Since when did Tomoyo listen to mere mortals anyways? I groaned and slammed my head down the table. Why couldn't I just hate the guy and let it be. Why couldn't I just move to Greenland for eternity.

Why!

* * *

After the excruciating dinner talk which involved more potatoes, loads of physics (in which I sat gaping like a clown while I followed the argument on nanoscience back and forth) and some polite enquiries on my next film (a popular book's adaptation with a new actress, if I remember my schedules right), We retired to the living room with the desert (chocolate fudge with almonds). I realized then that I was a survivor and every crippling moment only strengthened me. I could stand the entire Kinomoto family and come out as one piece. Feeling extremely satisfied at my endurance levels, I dipped my spoon into the creamy fudge, already imagining the smooth taste of-

"Condoms."

I dropped the spoon and stared incredulously. I must have heard it all wrong-

"I am sure you young people use it all the time?" I heard Sakura's uncle utter nonchalantly as he took a spoon of his sundae and peering at us through his glasses. Sakura was slicing viciously through her fudge as if she was harvesting it and her ears went beet red. Hot flames of embarrassment flooded my cheeks and I looked back at him shamelessly as he continued to hold his gaze questioningly, as if he had asked if I preferred slacks or jeans over a round necked shirt. I gulped and replied meekly.

"We err- we- "

"Uncle, do we need to-"She interrupted and I wanted to hug her with tears of gratitude rolling down my eyes. Although she had inherited all of the outspoken bluntness from her uncle, Sakura, for the love of propriety had some tact left in her dear old brain. And I was thanking my lucky stars for that.

"Ridiculous. I was merely seeing if you youngsters were being cautious." He said waving his spoon genially and with a twinkle in his eyes."Clearly you both seem to enjoy it too much and must be at it all the time but the question is-"

I had enough of being the Alice in the wonderland. This was crazy and if the old man expected me to bare my sex life in front of him for display, he was totally barmy. Besides who knows where the conversation could venture into. For all I know, he would begin to recollect his own experiences and I would end up scarred for life. Retreat was the best possible action, I decided even as I felt a sharp pang of remorse for leaving the chocolate fudge untouched. Kissing an equally tomato red Sakura on her cheeks chastely, lest her uncle got any ideas and I walked out of the house. The chilly air felt refreshing for a moment. I took long steps towards the porch gate and made my way out as fast as I could.

"Well, that was fun." said my Uncle mildly as he continued to eat the fudge.

"Sure." I responded sarcastically. "But did you have to scare him like that and give me a lifetime membership for being the most embarrassed niece ever club? Syaoran will probably think you are the boogey man from his childhood memories. I know of your urge to throw people of the cliff over and over again but that was plain cruel, even by your standards." I declared, crossing my hands tightly.

He ended up shrugging and chewing contemplatively. That's all. Not a word or a sound or even a nod of acknowledging my question. Finally, he looked up.

"This needs some more sugar. Fudge cannot be mildly sweet, it'll ruin the taste."

Ever seen a bedlam family as ours in the whole of London?

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**Author says: **Thanks for reviewing, all ! I hope I get better reviews this time.

-Love,

Emerald lady

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_**Nims Dias-angelovdarkness:**_ I am so glad you loved the chapter. I was pretty wary of it, you see! Let me know your thoughts on this chapter too? I love your insight. A lot!

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_**Final Fantasy Princess****: **_I love you! (Ok, that was not as scary as you thought it was) I loved you loved my story enough to review AND add it to your alerts. I feel proud, really. Thank you for liking my fic. Do you think I took too long to update? Please read and review!

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_**Ayla27****:**_ You think they went too fast? Err, my only explanation is that they were merely in denial for long, that's all. But then, if it did go too fast, would you want me to rewrite it? Do you want me to start something tentative and work through it? The point is that my characters are too loud, all of them. So subtleties are a moot point in my fic. You merely jump from one explosion to another. So I never tried to go deep into the emotion zone here. Does that make sense? Do let me know!

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_**lhaine07****: **_Aww! I promise that you won't miss the story anymore. There will be quicker updates, I swear. Glad you loved my comeback (hugs). Read and review, please?

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_**OKami Hime Black Hayate: **_I guess the dialogue should be, YOU FINALLY REVIEWED! Lol, just kidding. I am glad you think my story is worth following from a year. Please read and REVIEW too ?

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_**EchizenRyoma****: **_Thank you! Read and Review, please ?

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_**Sayah Shadows****:**_ Oh honey, I am really sorry for ending up confusing you! However, I hope this chapter doesn't confuse you much, I have kept the POV's simple here. I know I drift from one person to another abruptly but that is how I have learnt to build up the pace. I try not be cliff drop abrupt though. The problem with naming the person before his POV is that I think it robs the spontaneity and natural flow of dialogue. I hope that doesn't disappoint you. Please read and review my story as always?

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_**Noduka:**_There, your wish is granted! Read and review?

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_**Kimmygoldenangel****: **_Loads of hugs for being my 100th reviewer! You don't know how much it means to me to have reviews which now run in 3's.

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_**OO:**_ I love your rating! (11/10). (smiles) please continue to read and review?

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_**MarRon0808:**_ I know right, people never review! And I have been whining about that since the first chapter! (Sighs) POV goddess, I like! Her Excellency is honored for your unbridled admiration and hopes this chapter feels well enough as the last.

More fanfictions? Well, I don't know. I sure have plans but let's see.(wink, wink)

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_**Ree-Vance:**_ I hope you enjoyed the story, gal. Please read and review as you always do!


	15. The mysterious moan!

**Author's note:** Ahem, I am back. Embarrassed grin. Hello! Anyone still holding onto this? If yes, then I apologize for the beyond-explicable delay in updating this story and I deserve to be pelted with stink bombs, I agree. So let's not get into any explanations. I do promise that I will keep my word and finish this story soon. I do seem to have grown out of this craziness, I think. Maybe that's what took me so long to update, in the first place.

On a secondary note, I was sort of miffed with fanfiction for pulling out my other story, till death do us apart for the silliest reason ever. sulk

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters in my story. Yee-haaw.

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**Update: I tried to edit this chapter to make it less confusing but I found that I will have to deviate from my usual style if I start mentioning the appropriate POV before the dialogue. That's not me and I also believe that mentioning it ****explicitly will break the flow of my story. I am not sure why everyone had a lot of confusion with this chapter as switching from one character to another is what I have been doing throughout the story. I managed to separate each POV with a line but that's the best I could come up with ! ): **

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_**Crunch. Crunch. Chomp. Crunch.**_

"Ahem."

_**Crunch. Crunch. Crunch**__._

"Ey…"

_**Buuuuuuuuuurrrrp.**_

"Syaoran!" I hissed. That brought his head out of the cookie jar for a rhetoric moment before diving right back in. I groaned. This man had an appetite that of a wooly mammoth. And Tomoyo was the Florence Nightingale of cooking. Bring them both together and behold! I have him hovering constantly in our kitchen, trying to fit his head into a cookie jar or a biscuit tin. I would never have so many jars, in the first place. But since I am almost Neanderthal when it comes to culinary skills and Tomoyo's irritating and impeccable sense of perfection would be rendered void if you lump _cookies_ and _biscuits_ in the same box; we have an assortment of tins, jars and boxes, all neatly sorted according to the height and base diameters. It's true! I researched on her ordering preferences. The heights of two consecutive jars are always in the ratio of 6.129. And the base diameters of all the tins are arranged in a geometric progression. And she does all _**that**_, with the idea that Math is a type of insect which happens to be a cross between moths and bats.

Now, as a standalone incident, having my nutcase boyfriend in my house (whenever he happens to be in the same country as mine, I mean) is a lavish idea. You would wholly appreciate this fine male specimen here who is absolutely adorable and devoted to you. Ah-ha! That's where you step into the cesspool, my dear Watson, that's _exactly_ where you are flailing your hands helplessly in the swirling waters of ignorance. Because Syaoran Li is as romantic as a neutron moving aimlessly in an electromagnetic field (that is 0, in case the over than necessary geekiness-me happened to bog you down with that smart-arse sentence). True, really. Syaoran is a determined stalker, a sex addict, a goldfish-memory span worth of a conversationalist but romantic he is not. Bloody hell, I have seen him look at a blueberry bagel more fondly than me receiving him at the airport after a month long outdoor shoot.

And so, when I have firmly established the incorrectness of the above postulate, I shall now proceed to explain the reason why my ungrateful boyfriend (unfortunately yes, You can't just not call him your boyfriend when he whisks you to Paris on the pretext of a seminar on subatomic particles and their interdependent electromagnetic frequencies and instead proposes in front of the Eiffel Tower. Manipulative and cunning? Yes. Me secretly being a sappy romantic person? Sadly, yes again!) has parked himself in my house and has proceeded to expend all of my emergency food resources. I will make you see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. I shall shine the torch of reason upon your face so you can blink and exclaim "ah-aa!" But for that there is an underlying principle to be implemented, a strategy which goes like.

1. Walk slowly across the kitchen. Add in a nonchalant expression as if you were only searching for the kettle to make afternoon tea.

2. Look with the corner of your eyes when the prey is distracted and has its head is 3/4th's down in the cookie jar. Make a note of possible defensive maneuvers and plan counter measures accordingly though that would be highly unnecessary in accordance to the fact that I happen to be the more active cricket bat swinging person of the two.

3. Slide softly towards the target each time the above condition gets satisfied.

4. Repeat step 3 till the distance is one arm's length* ( * = Human arm length only. Cyborgs, Raptors and Fantastic Four team are not allowed)

5. This step requires adroit manipulation of limbs. Lunge forward and grab the cookie jar from the unknowing prey like it's the last Birkin bag in the store with the year end sale tag. (And if you have seen Tomoyo do that, every Christmas shopping at London, you would know how acrobatic the entire maneuver is!)

6. If step 5 is implemented successfully, then you will get to stand in front of the prey clutching the said jar triumphantly and watch a whole gamut of expressions flit across its face. (bewilderment-surprise-shock-irritation-anger-Fuck you!)

"Sakura!" The prey yelled, eyeing the cookie jar with longing. I smiled. The cookie tin maneuver was thus accomplished with zero causality and no wounded civilians.

"Sweeeeetheart?" I cooed in sickeningly sweet voice. He grimaced at tone and looked at me with mild indignation. I smiled again and fluttered my eyelashes for the extra effect. It worked spot-on. He closed his eyes and massaged his temples in soothing manner. After a moment of deliberation and a deep breath, he got up; swirled his chair to face me.

"What?"

"Why are you here, Syaoran?"

"I…"

"And if you tell you are here for me, we both know that it would be bollocks and I will dunk this porcelain cookie jar on your head and proceed to smash it to bits till your brain pops out. Yes, you know I am functionally capable of doing that, even to you."

He opened his mouth to argue and let it go with a feeble sigh. What can I say? My intelligence was finally catching onto him, maybe.

"Do you remember the last time I was here for dinner-"

"The one you bolted out of, red in the face?"

"The one in which your uncle decided to give _us_ sex-ed classes!" came the tart reply.

Point to note: A cookie-less Syaoran is a grumpy Syaoran.

"And I mentioned this new actress I would be working with for the crazy vampire book adaptation?"

"Uh-hh."

He stared at me dramatically and then stated ominously-

"She's Kaho. Kaho Mizuki."

I stared at him. What was I supposed to glean out of the name alone? The last movie I watched was _Four weddings and a funeral_, when Tomoyo's mum thought the younger me had a chance of redemption to normalcy. I ended up hating Hugh Grant's yellowed fossil-teeth. He caught my expression of revulsion and nodded knowingly.

"Now you know why I am here, in your home, munching cookies-"

"No, you idiot, I don't. The frown was for Hugh Grant's abysmal dental hygiene. So who is this Mizuki female I have to entertain your forced presence all the day for? And don't give that wounded expression, Syaoran. You know you are walking on a thin line already." I threatened, waving the cookie jar towards his head.

"Eriol's old flame. " he added hastily, seeing the clumsy me about to drop it for real near his head and dashing to the other end of the table.

"…"

"Big thing they were, back then when tweed was the rage." He rattled off at a high speed, when I looked around wildly yelling for a serrated knife or a cricket bat.

"Promise rings, cookie baking together, same toothbrush, the whole shebang. And then she flipped like a fresh pancake. Declared she needed to focus on her career; chucked Eriol out. He whined like a wounded puppy on a winter night by the garbage can and downed all my expensive scotch for a year to get over her. Now she's back and wants him. First day of the shoot, she climbed over him like a vine and cooed stuff in his ear. I think I got sick and ran all the way to your home a moment after that. Now can you lower the jar of-

_**Clang.**_

* * *

I winced at loud crash behind me. I was likely to get killed if I stayed in this place any longer. This was fucking ridiculous. A man cannot have a moment of peace. I spent all my days lately trying to avoid

My vixen like heroine/best friend's ex-flame

My girlfriend, who looks intent on trying to cookie-jar me to death.

Mysterious people who will clang cymbals behind my back and give me an aneurysm.

I turned to look at the unsolicited murderer and stared hard for a long hard time.

_**Gulp.**_

In a superhero-esque second, I gaped at Tomoyo and her absolutely horrified face and then back to Sakura's I-tried-to-warn-you-telepathically expression, and ran to cower behind an already nervous Sakura. White as sheet, Tomoyo looked like a geisha, minus the poise, of course. Sakura tried to nudge me from clawing her back. I scoffed lightly. I knew that her I.Q put me in the average intelligence category but she'd be damned if she thought I was plain stupid. Who in the right or wrong or no mind would want to face the Tomoyo in her Darth Vader mood? I refused to budge and stood behind her a with a resolute I-am-the-living-Switzerland-in-this-war-zone attitude. It didn't soften her glare a bit. She continued to stare at me wildly, like she willed for my eyeballs to drop down with all her staring. The time was having fun, I suppose. It decided to stretch further and extend her death glare till the white rage she was shaking with decided to envelop us like a black and white movie and put everything on a standstill.

"Syaoran." Sakura whispered.

"Yeah?" I whispered back. Wait, why were we whispering?

"_You_ are whispering aloud, all this time. I saw her monster vein bulge when you called her Darth Vader."

_**Sweat drop.**_

"Oh"

"And stop being dramatic. We are not in a black and white movie; it's the lights that went off."

"…"

* * *

The ballroom was empty. I frowned and looked at my watch. Didn't I ask those media watchdogs to assemble here by 4 PM sharp? How bloody irresponsible of them to not turn up on time. What did I look like, a tourist guide that they'll decide to swing in with their fancy cameras and scribbled notebooks whenever they wanted! I flipped out my phone impatiently and tried calling Eriol. The keyword being tried because it went straight to his voicemail, every damned time. He picked it up finally when my destiny decided to take a break to go relieve itself, maybe. I sighed a bit; maybe the world wasn't cruel afterall, maybe-

"Mei, I will have to call you later, I am sort of tied up-"

And there was a really long pause, a soft moan, and a thudding sound before the call got cut. That was definitely a woman, if my ears weren't damaged already from the Finnish death metal concert from last night. My eyebrows took a ride till the heavens before they settled back. It seemed like that the singularly asexual Eriol, a complete slacker when it came to sex was finally taking initiative. Tomoyo was going to be mightily pleased. I grinned inwardly at the apparent torture I can induce him to for weeks, now. After a blissful moment of imagining my Cheshire cat like cousin's contorted face under my thinly veiled taunts, I returned to reality. Where on earth were the damned people I had invited! If Syaoran had anything to do with this, then he was going to get hammered by me. I didn't trust that loony dog anymore. Maybe it was Sakura or maybe his crazy genes had got clairvoyant but he had been on an insanity whirl lately. Heaven help me if he decided to sabotage my plan to announce his endorsements before Yue did pitched in his as a favor to Touya. He would never get punked by any apparent love for that newbie but love was bedlam, always.

* * *

The staring match seemed to have moved its base. Tomoyo had sunk into one of the chairs at the kitchen table after a while, right after trying to incinerate me with her eyes. What did a man do to deserve this hate, I will never know. I always seemed to be at the receiving end for the glares, stares, petrifying glances and swamped looks. No really, right from the dean to Tomoyo now, everyone was just content in being in a silent movie-esque mode with me.

Well, apart from Sakura. She was more of the Blimey-What-have-you-done-now-loud-dialogue woman in my life with all the correct enunciation and expressions. She had wriggled out of my death grasp (that was pretty strong of her, by the way. I have been told that I have a killer death grasp, true.), seated Tomoyo in the chair and motioned me to mirror the same before she patted her friend's head awkwardly and gone into the study in search of a candle. I never relaxed a minute though. No sir, not with Tomoyo in auto-destruction mode and ready to kill anyone in her way. Having established that the kitchen window was at a convenient distance for me to escape and acceptably hard for Tomoyo to maneuver across if she developed a blood-lust, I sat at the edge of my seat and continued to watch her warily in the dim light.

"So, are they serious?" she whispered, looking down, eventually. Maybe all the stiff staring got her a crick in her neck.

"Who?" I replied, gripping the fruit bowl in front of me lightly, in case this was just the calm before the storm and I needed to distract her before I escaped.

"Eriol and that… that woman" she trailed off; taking a sip of water from the glass Sakura had left for her, finally. I shuffled my feet awkwardly. This was awkward. This was 'having a phlegm induced sneeze in front of the queen' awkward. I looked beyond for Sakura, desperately.

"Stop fidgeting and just tell me, Syaoran." Tomoyo said calmly and continued to look at me with her hands folded and crossed. I gulped. Which country was the damned candle Sakura had gone to get in? I looked at her steely eyes and breathed slowly.

"Not really. I mean Kaho is all determined to have him. She was always a stubborn female, to begin with but Eriol never seems to let her near him. He is pretty clear that he is done with-

_**Buzz.**_

Meiling. My red haired witch-cousin was an angel in disguise. I pulled out my blinking phone and looked at Tomoyo. She waved her hand tiredly with a tiny smile and relaxed in her chair.

"Syaoran, where is the crowd I gathered for the sportswear endorsement I briefed you on yesterday?" she rapped.

"Hi to you too, Mei." I said, rolling my eyes.

"yeah, I am glad you are alive and all. Now where are they?" She barked impatiently. I frowned. Was this a quiz? Did she finally catch on to the fact that I pull down my cap low and sleep through her powerhouse meetings?

"Er, the Brinkley Court Ballroom?" I said after a long pause and waited for the screeches to start. Surprisingly, none came.

"I know, you dolt and I am standing right here but where is the rest of the humanity?"

"I don't know. And if that's all, I have to go, Tomoyo is here and-"

She gave a long cackle of laughter. It was eerie, like a premonition to something bad, really bad.

"So Tomoyo is there, eh? That sly bastard." She giggled. I was completely lost as to what she was alluding to. Why was I a sly bastard I wondered and asked her so? She dismissed me off and asked me to put Tomoyo on line. Since there was no way I was going to get in the approachable range as Tomoyo's, I switched the speaker on and pushed it towards the middle of the table.

"So he's with you, you wild woman!" Meiling squealed and the barest hint of color which had returned on Tomoyo's face drained away. The smile faded away into a frown. This can't be good. I tried to pull my phone away but she got it first. Glaring at me suspiciously, she took the phone. I realized I had been premature calling this cackling witch an angel.

"What do you mean, Meiling?" she asked, warily. Meiling giggled loudly. Tomoyo's hand twitched. The premonition was getting stronger in my head.

"Oh please." Mei scoffed, "Don't think I believe this flimsy act for a minute. I know Eriol is with you. The damned bastard shouldn't have picked the phone if he wanted to keep a secret from me-"

The Darth Vader was back. Beads of sweat started trickling down my forehead. I wondered why me and Mei had never learnt telepathy. It could have been particularly useful now.

"Huh" said Tomoyo, eyes narrowing into slits and looking at me accusingly. Meiling continued to jabber in the background.

"-but I can never be mistaken for the slow, sensual moan I heard on the phone. That can only be you, I think it was French-like and-"

What the mysterious moan was all about, I never got to hear because right at that moment, Tomoyo flung my phone across the wall viciously, and stomped out of the room muttering spiteful curses in French, causing the candle holding Florence-Sakura-nightingale standing near the doorway to jump aside and give her way.

The glaring match had to continue in the wake of Tomoyo's departure. So I slid my glare towards the traitor I claimed to love.

"That was cruel, even by your standards, woman." I said.

"There are very few things I fear in my life, Tomoyo's temper is one of them." She shrugged nonchalantly. I gaped at her.

"And you think I find it endearing?! That woman is Darth Vader incarnate, heaven's sake!" I yelled. She nodded slightly.

"Yes, I know. Which brings me back to telling you why I like to keep my distance from her when she gets ballistic."

I stuttered for words. This can't be. The woman I love can't be absolutely evil. She did not just forsake me into the depths of misery and terror-

"Snap out of it, idiot. Someone's got to call up Eriol and let her know of the hurricane Tomoyo which is on its way to stomp him out of his life and dangle him by his ankles." Sakura rasped out while I stood giving her pointed looks.

"That someone would be you then, princess Peach" I retorted back, sulking.

"And why do you think-"

"Because the biggest piece of my phone is getting crushed under your right foot, as we speak" I said, cutting her out.

She mouthed a silent 'oh' as she looked down.

_Pause._

"Princess Peach?"

"You don't like it?"

"I do, actually."

"Thought so."

* * *

I stared at the sudden static from Syaoran's phone. That was weird. And what was weirder is that my audience seemed to have vanished into thin air, all of a sudden. What on Earth would make them not want the first scoop on the latest nationwide endorsement of a reigning celebrity like Syaoran? Especially after all the careful arrangements I worked out, I wondered walking across the empty room, my heels echoing across the hall.

"Maybe they were misled into thinking that the venue was changed last minute due to necessary security precautions and are sitting somewhat bewildered in the Mayfair hotel convention centre thanking their lucky stars for the scoop of the year they stumbled into?" A cool, impersonal voice drawled. A voice I could recognize from anywhere, it was as Satan's own, if you ask me.

I looked at him cautiously. He seemed to be smirking with his entire body and his stance was supremely annoying, leaning against a pillar casually like he had all the time in the world.

"The silver haired joker seems to have something up his sleeve, finally?" I drawled, imitating him. He just smiled coolly. It was starting to annoy me, that fake humor filled face of his.

"I am flattered with all the endearments you find for me, Miss. Rae" he said and gave a mock salute as he walked towards me. I continued to just stare at him, expressionless. He stopped in front of me, towering over me, tall and intimidating, despite my heels.

"Aren't you the least bit curious now?" he asked, rubbing his chin in apparent thoughtfulness. I scoffed.

"I am not just any fish in the well, you get it? Don't you dare bait me like everyone else. If you think that you can get me intimidated by useless rumors then you have a different thing coming to you. Meiling Rae isn't your average-"

I never got to tell him what I was not an average at. Because right then, he pulled me close to his chest and looked into my eyes deeply, moving his hand only to brush my bangs of the face. His warm hands were flush with my lower back and those amazingly silver-grey eyes were looking at me with an intensity that was making coherent speech extremely difficult.

"But you are not average, Miss. Rae. Not for a moment. You are the feistiest, brightest and the most gorgeous woman I have ever met." He said slowly, bending down to whisper in my ear. My eyes widened as his words turned me on like no other. A delicious shiver sped up my spine. "gorgeous." He repeated before swooping down and kissing me hard. I was completely lost. All my retorts vanished and I gave up fighting this man for an instant and kissed him back. Because it felt stupid, fighting it. It seemed so perfect and natural, wanting him. I reached out for him as I moaned into our kiss. All the frustration at his comebacks and all the sabotages we led each other into felt ridiculous. It was Yue, afterall. The same Yue who was running his hands across my thighs. Yue- wait, Yue !

And just like that, I pulled apart and jumped a step back. He looked askew for a minute before pulling himself to that maddening poise of his. I shuffled my feet. He coughed.

"So?"

"I gave them the wedding announcement of Touya and Shiefa Li."

"Ah. Well played."

He looked at me again, giving up his pretence of being extremely interested in the gothic architecture on the ceiling. I moved past him towards the exit but stopped close. His breath hitched a fraction as I leaned in. I smirked. He was good but I could see through him more easily these days.

"You win this time but I will be back, my love." I whispered into his ear. He smirked.

"I can hardly wait, Miss. Rae" he whispered back. My rational mind was going to subject me to a never ending lecture for flirting with my nemesis but to hell with all.

"Meiling. Call me Meiling." I said, winking at him before walking out.

* * *

Please Read and Review! The Emerald lady thrives on your love ! :)


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